A New Dawn(Explorers of Sky Novelization)
by GuardianoftheHiddenLand
Summary: "Welcome to a grand tale! A tale that spans time and darkness. It's the dawn of epic exploration!" Even if you haven't played the game, I invite you to read this. Explorers of Sky, in my opinion, has one of the best stories in videogame history. With any luck, I'll be able to do it justice.
1. A Storm at Sea

_**First of all, let's just get that disclaimer out of the way. I own nothing but the random twists I decide to put into the novelization. Credit for the game and the parts of the plot that I don't tamper with goes to the Pokémon Company and Chunsoft.**_

 _ **Alright! Here we go! I've been wanting go write something like this for years, and now I finally have my chance! For this novelization, I plan to expand on certain aspects of the game that I felt weren't explored enough as well as add a few original ideas. Also, with any luck, this story will be darker in tone than the game already is. I hope you all enjoy this story.**_

* * *

"Whoa! Wh-wh-whoa!

"Are…Are you okay?!"

"No! Don't let go! Just a little longer…Come on! Hang on!"

"N-n-no! I can't…hold on…!"

A loud cry pierced the air, awakening a Pokémon in his cliff-side home. He walked over to the opening in the cliff, peering outside. He saw nothing but heavy rain and flashes of lightning. Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder sounded, scaring the Pokémon away from the opening with a terrified yelp.

As the sun rose the next morning, a lone Pokémon laid unconscious on the beach.

Darkness. That was the first thing she could see. At first, she could hear nothing. She could feel nothing. She couldn't even move. Slowly, her senses came to her. She felt as though she were soaked. Her throat stung and her head was pounding. Suddenly, she heard a faint voice.

"….okay?"

She found the strength to open her eyes. She was momentarily greeted by a bright light and resisted the urge to snap her eyes shut.

"Where am I?" she muttered to herself. Her voice was hoarse.

As her eyes adjusted, she could make out a blue figure in front of her. She looked up. Staring back at her with a concerned expression was a Riolu. He smiled. She inwardly flinched. For all she knew, this Riolu could be bad news. Even more worrying to her was that she did not yet have the strength to stand. Also, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She felt different somehow, but was too groggy to place it.

"Great!" the Riolu said in a rather cheery tone, "You're awake!" She was taken aback by this Pokémon's friendliness. However, she still didn't let her guard down. She quickly glanced around, examining her surroundings. The ground was sandy, and she was standing near ocean water. Bubbles floated through the air.

"You weren't moving at all. I was seriously worried! Do you remember how you ended up unconscious out here?" the Riolu continued. Suddenly, something occurred to her. A Riolu was talking to her. She knew that she should have been surprised as humans and Pokémon can't normally communicate, but she wasn't. Something about this just felt natural. Her thoughts turned to what the Riolu had just said. She tried to remember what had happened before she ended up unconscious, but she was drawn a blank. A wave of panic swept through her. She couldn't remember anything. She tried to slow down her breathing in order to calm herself.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I don't remember a thing." The Riolu gave her a sympathetic look.

"Well, I'm Riolu," the blue Pokémon said, "Glad to meet you. And who are you? I've never seen you around before."

"I don't doubt that," she replied. "I think that you would remember a human walking around here." She may not have remembered much, but she knew humans were rather rare. They were practically mythical creatures to Pokémon. Riolu looked shocked.

"What?!" he exclaimed, "You say you're a human? You look like a totally normal Eevee to me!" She blinked, processing his comment. Bracing herself, she looked down. Sure enough, instead of human hands, she had little brown paws. She jumped up on her back legs, only to collapse. Mentally, she scolded herself for panicking. That was the worst thing that she could do at the moment.

( _How did this happen_?) she thought, ( _I don't remember anything.)_ She stood up again, slower and on all four legs this time. Her legs felt wobbly. Riolu was giving her a strange look.

"You're…a little odd," he said, "Are you pulling some sort of trick on me?"

"N-n-no," she said attempting to get over her earlier panic, "Not at all."

"You're telling me the truth?" Riolu asked. She quickly nodded. He seemed to think for a moment.

"Alright then," Riolu said, "Your name? What's your name?" She gulped. That little bit of information was fuzzy, just like all her other memories. Taking deep breaths, she attempted to calm herself down and clear her head.

"Right," she said slowly, "My name."

 _(Even if I could remember my name, would it be wise to tell this Pokémon? It probably wouldn't hurt.)_ After a few moments of thinking, a spark went off in her head.

"Xaira," she said instantly, "My name is Xaira."

"Oh," Riolu said, "Your name is Xaira?" Xaira nodded.

"That's what I said," she replied.

"Okay," he continued, "Well, you don't seem to be a bad Pokémon at least." Xaira raised an eyebrow.

( _Of course, I couldn't expect him to trust me right away, but it was an awfully strange comment.)_ She thought.

"Sorry that I doubted you," he said quickly, "More and more bad Pokémon have been turning up lately, you see! Many Pokémon have gotten aggressive lately. Things have grown somewhat lawless."

"Don't worry about it," Xaira said, "That just shows that you have a bit of common sense." Before he could answer, two Pokémon, a Koffing and a Zubat, approached Riolu, pushing him down before she had the chance to warn him. Xaira noticed that a grey stone that was a little larger than her paw had fallen to the ground.

"Well I do beg your pardon," the Koffing said. Riolu stood up.

"Hey!" he shouted, "Why'd you do that?" The Zubat laughed.

"Can't you figure it out?" he asked, "We wanted to mess with you! Can't face up to us, can you?" Riolu stepped back.

"Wh-what?!" he stuttered. The Zubat glanced at the small grey rock.

"That's yours, isn't it? He asked.

"No! That's-" Before Riolu could finish, Zubat scooped up the stone. (How, Xaira had no idea. Zubat aren't really known to have hands)

"Sorry kiddo," he said as he did. "I'll take that." Riolu stood frozen in place, staring in horror.

"Not gonna make a move to get it back?" Koffing taunted, "What's the matter? Too scared? I didn't expect that you'd be such a big coward!" Xaira grit her teeth, annoyed at the two's juvenile insults.

"Let's get out of here," the Koffing said.

"See you around, wimp," Zubat said. With that, they headed into a nearby cave.

Xaira glanced at Riolu, who was looking rather down.

"Wh-what should I do?" he asked, tears welling in his eyes, "That's my personal treasure. It means everything to me. If I lose that…" It was clear that he was holding back sobs. Xaira shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. Riolu sniffed, shaking his head.

"No!" he said, "There's no time to waste! I've got to get it back!" He then glanced at Xaira. "Hey, can I get you to help me?" She was taken aback at his sudden request. Thinking quickly, she weighed her options. For all she knew, this could be a scam.

( _If I just left now, I could stay out of trouble. This had nothing to do with me anyway. On the other hand, I did watch it happen, and to simply ignore this Pokémon would be somewhat cruel. Also, if I helped this Pokémon out, I could possibly gain an ally, which would be rather useful given the situation I'm in.)_ Xaira made her decision.

"Alright," she said, "But we need to make it quick." Riolu lit up.

"R-really?" he asked, "You'll really help?" Xaira nodded.

"That's what I said," she replied.

"Th-thank you! Let's go quickly!" They rushed into the cave. Once inside, Xaira glanced around. The dim light was much easier on her eyes. The cave appeared to be made out of stone and coral. Seaweed was scattered across the pale cave floor. Pools of water were spread throughout the area. Xaira approached one of the pools and stared at the unfamiliar reflection in the water. She couldn't help but notice that she looked rather scrawny for an Eevee. She also noticed three fresh, parallel gashes that ran diagonally from her right ear down to her jaw. Luckily, the looked as though they were already healing, but she knew they would likely scar. Her right ear was slightly torn. For a moment, Xaira wondered what could have caused those injuries.

"Are you alright?" Riolu asked, standing at her side.

"I'm fine," Xaira replied with a sigh, "It's just so strange." Riolu opened his mouth to say something, but he didn't get the chance. A low growl filled the room. Xaira stiffened, glancing around to detect the source of the noise. From the shadows stepped a Kabuto and a Shellder. Xaira was worried.

( _How am I supposed to defend myself when I'm not even used to this new body yet?")_ Xaira quickly decided to attempt to talk her way out of the situation.

"Could you please stand aside?" Xaira asked, "We have somewhere important to be. If you refuse, the consequences will be harsh." The Pokémon just stared at her. Suddenly, the Kabuto launched itself in her direction in an attempt to attack. Reacting quickly, Xaira sidestepped it.

"These are some of those aggressive Pokémon I told you about, Xaira," Riolu said, "They usually don't listen to reason."

"Which only leaves us with one option," Xaira said.

"What would that be?" Riolu asked.

"We fight," Xaira said.

"A-are you sure?" Riolu asked, "I'm not that strong, and you used to be human. Do you even know how to battle?"

"I'm an Eevee now," Xaira said, attempting to get into a fighting stance, "I guess I'll have to adapt." Riolu stared at her for a few moments before nodding.

"Alright," he said, "I'm ready." Xaira leapt at the Kabuto on the left, but it dodged with ease. She attempted the attack again, but with the same result. The Kabuto flew at her, scratching her shoulder and causing her to stumble. Xaira was becoming frustrated. Suddenly, as if by instinct, she threw herself at the Kabuto with much more force than she had previously. It was a direct hit. The Kabuto staggered backwards. Xaira smiled, delighted in her success.

"That was a great Tackle!" Riolu exclaimed as he dodged and countered an attack from the Shellder, "Do you think you can do it again?" Xaira nodded.

"Hopefully," she replied.

Clearing her head, Xaira unleashed the same attack from before, once again hitting the Kabuto. Reacting quickly, the Kabuto took another swipe at her, which she barely avoided. Xaira took a few steps back, glancing around to see if there was anything that she could use to her advantage. Xaira quickly noticed a small yellowish orange seed on the ground. Something inside of her told her to eat it. Quickly, she rushed to it, scooping it off of the ground with her mouth. Xaira chewed on it for a moment. It was incredibly spicy, and it felt as if a fire was growing in her mouth. She spat it out. However instead of a seed, Xaira spat out a decently sized fireball which flew at the Kabuto, knocking it out. She glanced over at Riolu to see how he was doing. Xaira watched as he unleashed a Quick Attack, causing the Shellder to faint. He stared at Xaira for a moment.

"You," he said, trailing off for a moment, "You were amazing! Are you sure that you haven't done something like this before?"

"I wouldn't remember if I had," Xaira replied.

"Oh," he said smiling sheepishly, "Sorry."

"It's fine," Xaira said, "Let's get going. Those two shouldn't be too far ahead." The rest of the journey through the cave went with very few incidents. Riolu and Xaira gained few minor injuries, but they were nothing to be worried about. As they navigated the twists and turns of the cave, Xaira couldn't help but feel that there was something off about the place. Eventually, they reached an area where light was allowed to shine through. Here, the ground was made from sand, and water filled the area. Large, pinkish rocks were scattered in various places. Xaira took a brief moment to appreciate how pretty everything was. Standing at the far end of the area were the Koffing and Zubat from earlier.

"Uh," Riolu said, breaking the silence, "Hey!" Koffing and Zubat turned around.

"Well, well," Koffing said, a smug smirk on his face, "If it isn't our old friend, the big chicken." Riolu cringed taking a few steps back.

"Give me…" He gulped, taking a few steps forward. Taking a deep breath, he shouted, "Give me back what you stole from me! That's my personal treasure! It means everything to me!"

"Treasure, you say," Zubat asked, "So that thing really is valuable, huh?"

"It could be worth more than we hoped for, I'd say," Koffing said, "We ought to try selling it. Who knows? It might make a good price." He laughed. "All the more reason not to give it back!"

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed stepping back once again.

"If you want it back so badly," Zubat said, "Come and get it!" He flew at Riolu, knocking him to the ground. Koffing flew at him. Thinking quickly, Xaira knocked Koffing aside before he could land a hit. Riolu stared at her.

"Y-you just-" he stammered.

"Stand up," Xaira said, "Quickly."

"A-alright," he said, "We'll do this together." Xaira launched herself at Koffing, knocking him back. Riolu attacked Zubat, knocking him to the ground. Before Koffing had a chance to recover, Xaira tackled him once more, knocking him back even further. Zubat attempted to fly up once more, but Riolu prevented him from doing so with a Quick Attack.

"Owowow," Koffing groaned.

"Ugh," Zubat grumbled, "We got roughed up."

"B-blast it, Koffing muttered, "How'd we get beat by wimps like them?" They both resumed floating in the air.

"Bah!" Zubat exclaimed, "Here you go. Take it then!" He threw the stone at Riolu.

"Whoa-ho!" Koffing laughed, "Don't think you're so awesome! Your victory was a fluke!"

"Yeah," Zubat agreed, "You just remember that!" The two fled.

"That was…" Riolu trailed off.

"Pathetically easy," Xaira said with a shake of her head.

"Oh!" Riolu exclaimed, turning around and picking up the stone, "It's my Relic Fragment!" Xaira noticed that the stone was attached to a cord and watched as Riolu placed it around his neck.

"Am I ever glad," he said as he did so, "I actually did manage to get it back." He turned to face Xaira, tearing up a little. "It's only because you agreed to help me, Xaira." Suddenly, he ran forward, wrapping his arms around her. Xaira stiffened, not knowing how to respond to the gesture. "Thank you Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed.

"No problem," she said awkwardly, still embarrassed from the embrace. Noticing her embarrassment, Riolu quickly released her.

"Oh," he said, "Sorry about that. I got a little carried away there."

"It's alright," Xaira said, glancing around the area to make sure nothing else was there, "Let's get out of here."

"Thank you!" Riolu said as soon as they were outside, "Seriously!" Xaira simply nodded, deep in thought.

( _I only helped because I happened to be there…Was that the right thing to do?)_ Xaira glanced at Riolu taking note of his happy expression. She smiled slightly. ( _I guess so. This Pokémon is clearly grateful. It's nice to be appreciated.)_ Xaira stared at the ocean. It was an amazing sight. Reflections of light from the evening rays danced across the surface of the water. It was odd. Xaira felt as though she had never seen anything like it before, not that she would remember. However, Riolu didn't mention it nor did he seem to be too impressed, so Xaira assumed it was a common occurrence.

"Here's what they stole," Riolu said, interrupting Xaira's thoughts and removing the stone from his neck, placing it on the sand. Xaira sat down to get a better look at it. Riolu did the same.

"This is a Relic Fragment," Riolu said, "Well, at least, that's what I started calling it. But this Relic Fragment…It's my precious treasure. You see, I've always liked legends and lore." Riolu lit up as he spoke. "I always get excited when I hear tales from the past! Don't you feel the same way? Hidden troves filled with treasure and strange relics, uncharted territories veiled in darkness, and new lands just waiting to be discovered! Such places must be full of gold and unimaginable treasure! And history! Wouldn't it be amazing to make historic discoveries? That's what I always dream of. It's all exciting to me. So one day, I happened to come across this Relic Fragment. I admit it looks like junk, but take a closer look. See? That inscription forms a strange pattern doesn't it?" Xaira looked closer at the Relic fragment. What Riolu said was true. Carved into the fragment was an odd pattern. White swirls and jagged lines circled around the center. As Xaira stared at it, she couldn't help but feel that this stone was very important.

"I've never seen a pattern like this," Xaira commented as she stared at it, "Although, I wouldn't know if I have."

"There must be some significance to this pattern," Riolu gushed, "The Relic Fragment must be the key to legendary places! To areas where precious treasure lies! At least that's the feeling I get. This fragment must fit into something somewhere! I want to discover where that is. That's why I want to join an exploration team. So earlier I tried joining an exploration team as an apprentice… But… I chickened out." Riolu sighed before looking up at Xaira. "What about you, Xaira? What are you going to do now? You lost your memory. And you somehow transformed into a Pokémon. Do you have anywhere to go and stay after this? If not, can I ask a big favor? Would you be willing to form an exploration team with me? I'm convinced that I can form an effective team with you, Xaira. So will you? Please?"

For a moment, Xaira was stunned into silence. Recovering from her shock, Xaira considered Riolu's offer.

( _I have no idea what an exploration team is nor do I feel comfortable agreeing to something that I know nothing about. On the other hand, what Riolu said was true. I have nowhere to go nor do I have any clue what I should do next. From what Riolu said, being in an exploration team sounds like it involves traveling, so it could possibly lead to something that could help trigger my memory. I have nothing to lose in joining either, and Riolu seems like good company. Also…I feel as though this Pokémon can be trusted. Besides, if this exploration team thing doesn't work out, I could simply quit and be on my way.)_

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to team up for now," Xaira said finally. Riolu lit up.

"Yes?" he asked, "Really?! You'll form an exploration team with me?"

"For now anyway," Xaira replied with a nod.

"Yes!" He exclaimed, "Thank you! We're going to be a great combination! Let's make this work! First, we should go to Wigglytuff's place and sign up as apprentices. That's where we need to train to become a first-rate exploration team. I'm sure that training will be really tough… But let's give it our best, Xaira!" He placed his Relic Fragment around his neck.

"I'll lead the way!" he said, "Let's go!" He ran off in the opposite direction of the cave they exited.

"Hey!" Xaira called, running after him, "Wait up!"

Xaira and Riolu rushed along the path to Wigglytuff's Guild. Little did they know that this was the first step into a journey that they would never forget.

* * *

 _ **Alright, that's it for the first chapter. Reviews are most Welcome. Also, please notify me of any mistakes. I've read through this more than a few times, but I'm still not sure that I caught everything!**_


	2. The New Guild Recruits

_**Hello, I just wanted to say a couple of things first. First of all, the first chapter has been edited. A few new thing have been added so you should really check it out. Also, I will be replying to reviews in the review section so that they will be out of the way. If you have any questions, please check there to see if it has already been answered. Please enjoy the new chapter.**_

* * *

Riolu and Xaira climbed up the stairs that led to Wigglytuff's Guild.

"Here we are," Riolu stated when they reached the top. Xaira stared at the building before her. It certainly was strange looking. The building was rather large and shaped like a Wigglytuff. A gate blocked the entrance. In front of the gate was a hole that was covered up by a grate.

"This is Wigglytuff's Guild," Riolu explained. "To form an exploration team, you need to register your team here. Then you have to train until you become a first-rate exploration team." Riolu stared at the building for a moment before shuddering.

"Y-y-yikes!" he stuttered. Xaira stared at him for a moment, wondering if he was having second thoughts.

"Isn't there something just a little odd about this place?" he asked. Xaira tilted her head and examined the building once more.

"I don't believe so," she replied, "Other than the shape of building itself, of course." Riolu gulped. He shook his head, mumbling something that Xaira couldn't hear. She noticed that he shot quick glances at her as he did. Slowly, he stepped up to the small grate. Taking a deep breath, he stood on top of it.

"Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!" a voice suddenly shouted. Riolu cried in alarm, but stood his ground.

"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?" another voice asked.

"The footprint is Riolu's! The footprint is Riolu's!" the first voice replied.

"You may ENTER!" the second voice shouted, "Someone's with you! So get that stranger to stand up THERE!"

"He probably meant you, Xaira," Riolu stated, stepping off of the grate. Xaira stared at the grate for a moment.

( _It looks very sturdy, and the worst it could do was tickle my feet, but it is still quite odd.)_ She thought as she stared.

"Hey! Stranger! Get on the GRATE!" Xaira was jolted out of her thoughts. She ran to the grate, standing on it.

"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!"

"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?"

"The footprint is…Um…" the voice trailed off.

"What's the matter? Sentry?" the second voice asked. For a moment, it was silent. "What's wrong, sentry Diglett?"

"Umm err," the first voice, muttered, "The footprint is… Maybe Eevee's! Maybe Eevee's!"

"What!?" the second voice exclaimed, "MAYBE!?" Riolu and Xaira exchanged glances as they listened to the two strange Pokémon argue.

"What?" Riolu muttered, "Are they arguing?"

"It seems that way," Xaira replied.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," one of the voices spoke up, "It's TRUE that you don't see any Eevee in these parts…But you don't SEEM to be bad…." The voice trailed off for a moment, as if in thought. "OK good enough! ENTER!" No sooner than he had said this, the iron gate opened, slightly shaking the ground as it did.

"Yikes!" Riolu exclaimed, "I'm so nervous! So jittery! But I'm glad we're finally allowed in. My heart's pounding though."

"We should probably get moving," Xaira said, stepping off of the grate, "We don't want them to close the gate on us."

"Ok," Riolu replied, "Let's go in." Xaira nodded. The room they entered was small, and had a floor made of dirt. Red banners hung in various areas, and a sign stood near a hole in the ground. Sticking out from the hole was a ladder that looked like it was crafted with four-legged Pokémon in mind.

"There's a hatch that leads underground here!" Riolu exclaimed.

"I've noticed," Xaira responded as she carefully climbed down the ladder, Riolu following close behind her.

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed once we reached the floor below. Xaira glanced around as they walked towards the center of the room. This room was much larger than the first. The floor appeared to be covered with moss and grass. The stone walls, aside from the occasional vines and clumps of moss, were bare on three sides. She took note of the windows on either side of the room, which she decided were the source of the plentiful light in the area. On one side of the room, she noticed sheets of paper hanging together in two different areas. Several Pokémon stood near them, examining the papers and talking amongst themselves.

"So this is Wigglytuff''s Guild!" Riolu exclaimed, looking around the room, starry-eyed. "So many Pokémon! I wonder if they're all on exploration teams."

"I would assume that that is the case," Xaira replied, glancing at the Pokémon in the room. If you asked her, these Pokémon were rather unremarkable. None of them looked too tough. However, Xaira supposed that it would be unwise to judge solely on appearances.

"Excuse me," a voice called from the other side of the room, breaking Xaira out of her thoughts. Riolu almost jumped out of his skin. Xaira glanced to the side. Standing near the ladder was a green and blue Pokémon with a black head. He hopped up to the duo. As he did, Xaira noticed that he carried an air of authority.

"It was you two who just came in right?" he asked, examining the both of us. With the way he carried himself and the way he spoke, Xaira assumed that he was an important Pokémon in this place.

"Y-yes!" Riolu stuttered, suddenly standing straight.

"I'm Chatot!" the new Pokémon said. His voice had a cheery tone to it, "I'm the Pokémon in the know around these parts! I am Guildmaster Wigglytuff's right hand Pokémon!"

"Right hand Pokémon?" Xaira repeated, "Then you must know-"

"Now, shoo!" Chatot interrupted, "Leave the premises!"

"But we-" Xaira began.

"We have no time for salespeople or silly surveys!"

"But-"

"Off you go, if you please!" Chatot continued, completely ignoring Xaira's protests. She huffed.

"N-no! That's not why we're here!" Riolu exclaimed rather quickly," We want to form an exploration team. That's why we're here!"

"W-What?! Exploration team?" Chatot exclaimed. He turned so that he was not facing the duo.

"It's rare to see a kid like this want to apprentice at the guild," he muttered to himself seemingly completely unaware that Riolu and Xaira could hear him, "Surely the steady stream of Pokémon that run away from our rigorous training proves how true that is!"

"Excuse me," Riolu said, swallowing nervously and shifting his feet, "Is the exploration training really that severe?"

"What?!" Chatot exclaimed, quickly turning around and plastering on an entirely too friendly smile. "Well…No, no, no! It's not true in the slightest! Our training program for exploration teams is as easy as can be!"

"Are you sure about that?" Xaira muttered. Chatot didn't seem to hear her.

"Well, well, well!" Chatot exclaimed, "I wish you had told me up front that you wanted to be an exploration team!" He laughed, but it was obviously fake.

"I would have if you didn't interrupt me," Xaira muttered.

"His attitude certainly changed, didn't it?" Riolu whispered.

"A complete one-eighty," Xaira replied, "Pretty suspicious if you ask me."

"Ok," Chatot said, interrupting the conversation, "Let's get your team signed up right away. Follow me!" He hopped over to a ladder that lead deeper underground. Riolu and Xaira exchanged glances. Chatot turned around, staring at the two for a moment.

"Oh," he said, "Anything wrong? Come on! Over here! Quickly please!" Xaira could hear subtle annoyance in his otherwise cheery tone. Quickly, Riolu and Xaira followed him down the ladder. The floor below was larger than the previous one. Xaira quickly made note of the various exits in the room, wondering where they lead.

"This is the guild's second underground floor," Chatot explained as he led them to the far right side of the room, "This is mainly where the apprentices work. Team registration is this way." They stopped at a wooden door with an odd red symbol painted on it.

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed, rushing to a nearby window, "We're two floors under the ground, but you can still see outside!"

"Oh please," Chatot snapped, "Hush now!" Riolu jumped and turned around. "The guild is built into the side of a cliff," Chatot explained as if he was speaking to a toddler, "It's only natural that you would be able to see outside."

"Oh," Riolu said quietly, looking down to hide his embarrassed blush. He walked back over to Xaira, who quietly chuckled.

"Now," Chatot said, "here we are at Guildmaster Wigglytuff's chamber. On no account…I repeat, on no account should you be discourteous to our Guildmaster." With that, he knocked on the wooden door. "Guildmaster! It's Chatot! I'm coming in!" The door opened, and Chatot led Riolu and Xaira inside the room. It was about the size of the first room in Riolu and Xaira had seen, if not slightly bigger. Like that first room, banners hung on the walls. Xaira noticed two torches on opposite sides of the room. A treasure chest sat against the wall, wide open with it's contents spilling out. Xaira's gaze focused on the room's center. There, standing on a mat, was a bright pink Pokémon, his back turned.

"Guildmaster!" Chatot called, "I present to you two Pokémon who wish to join our guild as apprentices." The Pokémon didn't move. Chatot shifted awkwardly.

"Guildmaster," Chatot said, "um…Guildmaster?" Riolu opened his mouth to comment. Suddenly, the pink Pokémon spun around.

"Hiya!" he said in a cheerful voice. Riolu cried out in alarm and jumped back. Xaira simply stared in shock.

"I'm Wigglytuff!" the Pokémon said with a large smile. "I'm the guild's Guildmaster! You want to form an exploration team?" Riolu and Xaira simply nodded, too stunned for words. "Then, let's go for it! First we must register your exploration team's name! What is you team's name?"

"Oh," Riolu said, "Our team's name?" He looked at Xaira and muttered, "We didn't think of that. So what do you think would be a great name for us, Xaira?"

"You're kind of putting me on the spot here," Xaira muttered, attempting to think of a good name.

"I certainly can't think of anything," Riolu replied. Suddenly, an idea came to Xaira.

"Vatonage," she said.

"Vatonage!?" Riolu repeated, "Team Vatonage!" He nodded. "Yeah! That's a good name! It suits us!" Wigglytuff smiled.

"All settled then! I'll register your team as Vatonage! Registering! Registering!" he sang. Riolu and Xaira gave each other confused glances. "All registered," Wigglytuff said after a few moments. "YOOM…TAH!" he shouted jumping up in the air. Riolu and Xaira both jumped back. Xaira looked around quickly. She could have sworn that she saw bright flashes of light. No one else seemed to notice or care.

"Congratulations!" Wigglytuff exclaimed, "From now on, you're an official exploration team! I present you with this in commemoration: a Pokémon Exploration Team Kit!" He placed a large, yellow chest on the ground in front of the two.

"A Pokémon Exploration Team Kit?" Riolu repeated.

"Yup," Wigglytuff said with a nod, "It's what every exploration team needs. Quick open it up." Riolu did so. Inside the chest was a map, a bag, and some round, white badges with wings on the sides.

"Yeah!" Riolu exclaimed, "There are all sorts of great things in here!

"That's your explorer badge, your team identification. And there's your Wonder Map, a wonder of convenience! Finally, there's a Treasure Bag. It lets you carry items. It's a very wonderful bag!" Riolu peered inside the bag, pulling out two items. One was a white ribbon, and the other was a grey colored cloth. As Riolu held the white ribbon, it slowly turned bright blue.

"This is-" Riolu trailed off, examining the ribbon.

"Those two items are special," Wigglytuff explained, "I'm sure they will help you on your adventures!"

"Th-thank you!" Riolu exclaimed, clutching the items close to him. "We'll do our best!"

"Yup," Wigglytuff said, "But you're only apprenticing right now. So do your best to train!"

"We will," Riolu said, overcome with joy. "Let's always do our best, Xaira!" Xaira nodded with a grin. This Pokémon's enthusiasm certainly was infectious.

"Now," Chatot said, "Let's see about sleeping arrangements, shall we?" He led Riolu and Xaira out of the room and down a long hallway.

"This is your room!" Chatot chirped as they entered the room at the very end. Xaira glanced around. It wasn't very large and was very simple. There was a window and two piles of straw, but not much else.

"Great! We get beds!" Riolu exclaimed, claiming the pile of straw closest to the entrance. As he sat down on it, he placed the Treasure Bag to the side. Xaira walked over to the other pile of straw and sat down. It was more comfortable than it looked, certainly better than the cold, stone floor.

"You will live here while you work with us," Chatot said, "Things will start getting busy for you tomorrow! So rise early and start living up to our code! Don't stay up late, and get to sleep early tonight! That is all." With that, he left the room. Xaira glanced at Riolu, who was examining what he got from the Treasure bag.

"Aren't these cool?" he asked. "This," he said, holding up the grey cloth "Is a Zinc Band. It raises special defense." Xaira watched as he folded the cloth in a circular shape and placed it around his arm. "And this," he said, picking up the blue ribbon, "Is what is known as an Aura Ribbon. When you touch it, it changes to the color of your aura. Not only that: it makes you stronger when you wear it!" He placed the ribbon in front of Xaira. "Go on!" Riolu said, "Touch it!" She placed her paw on the ribbon. Slowly, the blue ribbon's color changed to a blueish mint green.

"That's facinating," Xaira said.

"You can have it," Riolu said, "Your aura color is pretty!"

"How do I wear it?" Xaira asked. Riolu grabbed the ribbon and tied it into a bow near Xaira's left ear.

"There you go!" Riolu said with a cheerful smile.

"Thank you," Xaira said with a nod. She glanced at the window and noticed it was quite dark out. Riolu glanced at the window as well.

"It's getting late," Riolu said. "We should get to sleep." Xaira attempted to lie down, but it was hard to get comfortable with her new tail, and she shifted constantly. Eventually, she found that curling up into a ball was the most comfort she can get. Xaira attempted to relax in order to fall asleep, but it was rather difficult to do so as she felt rather restless.

"Oh, are you still awake, Xaira?" Riolu asked after a while. Xaira mumbled a yes. Riolu sighed before continuing. "My heart's been racing all day today about every little thing. But I'm glad I finally made myself come here. I thought Wigglytuff would be scary, but he seems pretty friendly. We're going to experience all sorts of things starting tomorrow, but honestly, I'm not very scared. In fact, I'm super excited about the adventures we'll face!" Xaira heard him yawn, "I'm feeling a little sleepy…Let's give it our all tomorrow. OK, Xaira. Good night."

"Good night," Xaira mumbled back, deep in thought.

( _Today was eventful. First, I wake up with no memories, and now I'm suddenly apprenticing at the guild…I have to admit, it's pretty exciting to be in an exploration team, but first thing's first: Who am I? How did I turn into a Pokémon? How did I end up unconscious on that beach_?" Xaira yawned, feeling exhaustion overtake her _. "Well, thinking about it won't help right now. I'd better focus on the guild's work for now…If I do that, well, everything should become clear eventually…I'll surely get to the bottom of this in time.)_ Slowly, she drifted off to sleep, trying to ignore the sudden odd feeling of dread that swept over her.

"HEY! HEY THERE! RISE AND SHINE!" A loud shout jolted Xaira and Riolu out of their sleep. The loud noise hurt Xaira's sensitive ears and gave her a slight headache.

"Why are you still ASLEEP? WAKE UP!" the voice shouted. Xaira groaned in annoyance as she opened her eyes.

"My poor ears," Riolu grumbled as he did the same.

"Come on! Snap OUT of it!" the voice exclaimed. Xaira could have sworn that she had heard that voice before. "I'm Loudred! And I'm a fellow apprentice! If you're late for our morning briefing, you'll be SORRY! So MOVE it!" Xaira stood up, still groggy.

"Guildmaster Wigglytuff has got a BIG temper. If you make him lose it…" Loudred shuddered, "That would be one scary scene! I've got goosebumps just thinking about it! So ANYWAY…I'm not about to get in trouble just because you rookies got up LATE! SO GET IT IN GEAR!" With that, Loudred left the room.

"My ears are still ringing," Riolu said as he sat up. "What did he say? Something about being late?" There was a brief pause. "Oh, no! we totally overslept!" Scrambling to their feet, Xaira and Riolu rushed out of the room. They ran down the hallway until they reached the central chamber. It seemed that the other apprentices were already gathered.

"You're LATE rookies!" Loudred exclaimed as they took their places with the others. Xaira shot him a glare. After all, it wasn't her falt that she wasn't yet used to the schedule around here yet.

"Hush!" Chatot snapped, "Your voice is ridiculously loud!" Chatot looked over the group of Pokémon. "Everyone seems to be present," he said, "Very well. Let us conduct our morning address. Guildmaster! The guild is in full attendance!" With that, Wigglytuff stepped out of his room.

"Thank you Guildmaster!" Chatot said, "Please address the crew." Wigglyytuff was silent for a few moments. He just stared off to space. The room was deadly silent. After a few moments, he unleashed a mighty snore, causing Riolu to jump. Murmurs filled the room.

"I'm impressed," Xaira whispered to Riolu, a smug smile forming on her face.

"Thank you sir! We all value your…" Chatot trailed of, thinking of something to say, "words of wisdom!" Xaira held back a snort. "OK, Pokemon! Take our Guildmaster's words to heart! Finnally, let's not forget our morning cheers! All together now!"

"A ONE, A TWO, A ONE-TWO-THREE!" the apprentices, with the exception of Riolu and Xaira shouted, "ONE! DON'T SHIRK WORK! TWO! RUN AWAY AND PAY! THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!"

"OK, Pokémon," Chatot said, "Get to work!"

"HOORAY!" the apprentices shouted before walking off to do their various duties.

"Um," Riolu whispered to Xaira, "What do we do?" Xaira shrugged.

"You're asking me?" she asked.

"Hey," Chatot said, noticing them. "You shouldn't just be wandering around there. You two come here." Chatot lead the duo up the ladder and to a bulletin board that hung on the wall.

"You're just beginners," Chatot said, "We'll have you start out with this assignment." Chatot pulled a piece of paper off of the board. "This is the Job Bulletin Board. Pokémon from various regions post job requests here. You are aware that bad Pokémon are cropping up in greater numbers right?"

"Yup. Because the flow of time is getting messed up. It's wreaking havoc right? Which is why lots of bad Pokémon are appearing!" Riolu remarked.

"The flow of time is getting messed up? Time? As in hours and minutes?" Xaira asked. ( _Why does that sound so familiar?)_

"Precisely," Chatot replied. Time getting out of whack has caused an outbreak of bad Pokémon. Perhaps because of all that, we have noticed an increase in the number of jobs. In addition and its unknown if this is because of time's influence. There has also been a mass outbreak of mystery dungeons."

"Mystery dungeons?" Xaira repeated, "I recognize that name, but I can't place it."

"You know how we got my Relic Fragment back yesterday?" Riolu asked, "The place where we found it was a mystery dungeon. A mystery dungeon's layout changes every time you enter it. The items found even change! If you faint, you lose half your money and items and get kicked right out. They are strange places. But it's not all bad. Each time you enter one, there's more to explore, and new things to discover!"

"Well, you're quite informed aren't you?" Chatot asked with a smile, "That makes things easier to explain! Here's your first job!" Chatot handed the sheet of paper to Riolu.

"Oh, really? Let's read it!" Riolu exclaimed before reading the letter.

 _Hello! My name is Spoink! An outlaw has run off with my most prized possession. My precious pearl! That pearl is life itself to me! I just can't seem to settle down if that pearl isn't in its proper place atop my head! But I've heard my pearl has been sighted! It is reported to be on a rocky bluff. But this bluff has been reported extremely unsafe! I could never go somewhere so frightening! Oh friendly readers, would you be kind enough to go to the bluff and get my pearl? I beg your help, exploration team members!_

 _-Spoink_

As Riolu read, Xaira glanced over his shoulder to read along, but much to her disappointment and frustration, she could barely make out a single word.

"Wait a second…" Riolu said, examining the letter again, visibly agitated, "We're going to fetch an item that someone dropped? I'd rather do something that's more of an adventure. I'd rather look for treasure or explore unknown places. Things like that!"

"It doesn't sound like our problem anyway," Xaira added.

"Hush!" Chatot scolded.

"Yikes!" Riolu exclaimed, taking a step back. Xaira didn't even flinch.

"It's important that you rookies pay your dues!" Chatot exclaimed, "And it would interest you two to know that a Spoink's pearl is his or her source of psychic power. Without it, they grow weak, which is a dangerous thing to happen to you these days! So with that in mind,I suggest you get on with the job!" Riolu gulped. Xaira sighed.

"Let's go Riolu," she said, "Between the two of us, we should finish this up pretty fast." Riolu nodded, and the duo set off towards the bluff.

The bluff certainly was rocky as Spoink's letter described. Pools of water were spread out everywhere. Xaira thought it to have a strange beauty about it. She noticed that Riolu looked less than impressed. It was obvious that he was very nervous about the upcoming job.

"This must be the bluff's entrance," Riolu said as he glanced around, "It sounds like a seriously dangerous place. We should be careful. Let's do our best, Xaira." Xaira nodded and glanced at Riolu, who was trembling.

"Calm yourself, Riolu," she said as they entered the dungeon, "If you get too nervous, aggressive Pokémon will take notice, and mark you as an easy target."

"How do you know that?"" Riolu asked.

"Isn't that an easy conclusion to make?" Xaira asked as they turned a corner.

"I guess," Riolu said with a shrug.

"Alright then," Xaira said, glancing around to ensure that no one was following them, "Let's hurry this up. I don't want to be here longer than I have to." The journey through the bluff was surprisingly easy for the duo. Xaira wasn't the strongest, but she made up for it by using the various items scattered throughout the dungeon. Riolu did slightly better in battle than she did, much to her annoyance.

"Seriously, Xaira," Riolu said as the duo walked into the next area, "Tricking that Anorith into activating a Blast Seed? That was brilliant!"

"I know," Xaira replied with a grin. "You showed promise yourself. You really saved me back there when that Chingling had me wrapped. Although, you would do better if you would put all your strength into your attacks. I could tell you were holding back a little." Riolu stared at the ground.

"I know," he said, "It's just-"

"What's that?" Xaira interrupted, noticing something sparkle a few feet away from her. She and Riolu rushed to the object to investigate. Upon getting a closer look, Xaira realized that the object was a pink pearl.

"This must be Spoink's pearl! " Riolu exclaimed, picking it up, "Let's hurry back with it!"

"Th-thank you!" Spoink exclaimed when the return of his pearl, "That pearl must be propped on my head you see! I missed it so much! I just couldn't settle down without it! So I was just boinging and sproinging everywhere! That's why I'm covered in these dings and bumps!"

( _I almost would have liked to see that_.) Xara thought.

"But thanks to you, that nightmare is over! You have my sincere thanks!"

"You're welcome," Riolu said, "Just be more careful with it in the future!"

"Don't you worry," Spoink replied cheerfully, "I will! Here's your reward!" Spoink handed Riolu a small bag. Riolu peered inside.

"Oh wow!" Riolu exclaimed, "2,000 Poké? All this money for us?"

"Of course!" Spoink replied, "That's nothing compared to my pearl's value!"

"If that's the case, did we just get ripped off?" Xaira whispered to Riolu.

"Farewell!" Spoink called, hopping out of the guild.

"We're rich, Xaira! We got rich just like that!" Riolu exclaimed, holding up the money bag.

"What do we do with it?" Xaira asked, completely confused as to what Riolu was talking about. Riolu gave Xaira an odd look.

"We can go buy something at the shop," Riolu explained, "We could probably afford a TM or-"

"Well done team!" Chatot interrupted, "Now hand that money over if you please!" He promptly snatched the bag from Riolu.

"Huh?" Riolu said, unsure of how to react.

"What are you doing?" Xaira asked.

"Most of the money from the jobs goes to the Guildmaster, you see!" Chatot said, counting the money, "And your team's share of the money comes to this much!" He placed a few gold coins in Riolu's hand.

"Huh? We keep only 200 Poké?" Riolu asked, steaming, "That's awful!"

"I have to agree," Xaira said calmly, "You did nothing to-"

"Well, that's the guild's rule!" Chatot snapped. "You simply have to accept it! If you would have read that signboard on the guild's uppermost floor, you would know that!" With that, Chatot walked away, carrying the money bag with him.

"Funny how he mentions that now," Xaira mumbled.

"That was disappointing," Riolu muttered with a sigh.

"My question's been answered," Xaira said later that day at the guild's lower floor.

"What question?" Riolu asked.

"Why Chatot reacted the way he did yesterday," Xaira replied, "When you questioned the severity of training here, Chatot panicked and assured us that guild training was incredibly easy. He was clearly trying to get us to join to get more of that gold stuff."

"I don't think that's it," Riolu replied.

"I wouldn't put it past him," Xaira replied. Before Riolu could say anything, the sound of a bell rang through the air.

"I finished making dinner! Come on! Dinner's on!" said a light blue Pokémon, Chimecho, as Xaira had "overheard". (Others would say that she was eavesdropping) Everyone cheered and rushed into the dining hall, almost resulting in Xaira and Riolu getting trampled. Dinner was served in a room with a long wooden table. Placed on the table were plates filled with berries apples, and seeds. It was a strange feeling for Xaira, seeing so much food in one place, although she could not think of why. Xaira sat down at the table and glanced around, watching the others eat.

"Come on, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed as he took a bite out of an Oran Berry. "Eat up! You look like you haven't had a meal in weeks!"

Xaira sighed as she began to nibble at her food. As she ate, the food on her plate would move away from her at times. Eating without apposable thumbs was more difficult than it looked. Holding the food between her paws didn't work out too well, either. She settled for holding the food down with her paws as she ate, ignoring the questioning glances from the other guild members. After dinner, the guild members all headed back to their rooms. Xaira and Riolu were greeted by a few of them on the way. They seemed nice enough, but Xaira decided to keep a distance from them until she could tell that these Pokémon could truly be trusted as Riolu was.

"Listen, Xaira," Riolu said as he relaxed on his bed, "Wasn't today hectic? So much happened. But I'm relieved that our first job turned out to be a success! It was really upsetting how Wigglytuff's Guild took most of the money. But that's just the cost of training, I guess. They do provide food and shelter for us, after all." Xaira scoffed. "But what really made me happy today was getting thanked by Spoink." Riolu yawned. "I'm going to sleep. Let's try our best tomorrow. Good night, Xaira."

"Good night," Xaira whispered. She sighed. The day had been very exhausting. Xaira closed her eyes in attempt to fall asleep, but she was restless. She tossed and turned a few times, attempting to get comfortable, angrily muttering to herself. Eventually, she drifted off into a deep sleep.


	3. The Scream

_**Chapter 2 has been edited. If you noticed any other mistakes, please notify me. Thank you, and enjoy the chapter.**_

* * *

When Xaira awoke the next morning, she was exhausted. She had woken up with a start several times during the night due to nightmares. Even more frustrating to her, she could barely remember what the dreams were about. She only had the faintest memory of running from something. She didn't know what exactly, but whatever it was, it was frightening enough to wake her up. She and Riolu arrived at the guild briefing on time that day. Afterwards, once again, the duo had no idea what to do.

"Oh, you two!" Chatot said when he noticed them, "Still wandering around lost, it seems…Well, come with me!" Chatot led them to the upper underground floor. This time, he showed them to a different bulletin board.

"Huh? Last time we did a job, it was from the board on the other side," Riolu commented.

"Correct," Chatot replied, "Today, we'll have you do a job listed on this side."

"How is it different from the board on the other side?" Riolu asked.

"Take a closer look," Chatot said with a roll of his eyes. Xaira and Riolu did so. Instead of papers filled with words, there were sketches of Pokémon hanging on the wall.

"Hey! Check it out, Xaira!" Riolu chattered excitedly," They have posters here that show a variety of Pokémon!"

"Really?" Xaira asked, "I didn't realize that." Riolu ignored her comment.

"Wow, they all look pretty cool!" he exclaimed, "Are they famous explorers?" Xaira looked closer at the sketches.

"I doubt it," she replied, "They look awfully sinister. Besides, why would pictures of famous explorers be hung here?"

"Who are these Pokémon, Chatot?" Riolu asked.

"The Pokémon posted here," Chatot replied, pausing for effect, "Are outlaws. They're all shady characters. And they're wanted for committing crimes."

"What?! They're all wanted by the law?" Riolu asked, visibly shocked.

"You know," Xaira said, "Come to think of it, they DO look pretty cool! Isn't that right, Riolu?"

"Hey!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira merely chuckled at his reaction.

"Correct," Chatot said, rolling his eyes, attempting to ignore the arguing. "So there are bounties on their heads. There are so many aggressive Pokémon around days that everyone's finding it hard to keep up with the problem."

"Bounty?" Xaira asked, "What do you mean?" Chatot opened his mouth to answer, but Riolu interrupted him.

"Wait a second! You expect us to catch outlaws? No way! That's not possible!"

"He has a point," Xaira said, "We are just apprentices. Do you honestly think that this is a good idea?" Chatot laughed.

"Don't worry!" he said, "The bad Pokémon out there come in all shades of badness! Some of the Pokémon are completely wicked through and through. But there are also bad Pokémon who are merely petty thieves. So you've got evil to naughty and everything in between! So I'm sure we can avoid giving you a job catching a super bad Pokémon. So look over these posters, then pick a Pokémon that looks weak enough for you to bring to justice!"

"You say some are weak. But they're still bad Pokémon, right?" Riolu asked. He began to tremble. "I'm scared of dangerous Pokémon!" Riolu gulped, thinking of everything that could go wrong.

"It's all a part of your training! You'll work through it, I'm sure," Chatot replied, seemingly not caring about Riolu's fears, "But I suppose you do need to be prepared to confront a tough opponent. So I'll have someone give you a tour of the facilities. Hey! Bidoof! Bidoof?!"

"Yup yup! You called?" a small, brown Pokémon with buckteeth answered. He seemed to be breathing heavily, as he had run quite the distance to get there.

"Ah, Bidoof!" Chatot greeted, "These are the new recruits that just joined us. Take them and show them around the town."

"Yes sirree!" the brown Pokémon answered, "By golly, I'll do just that! Yup yup!"

"This is Bidoof" Chatot explained, "He's one of your fellow apprentices. I want you to pay attention to what Bidoof has to say and follow his orders. Off you go!" With that, Chatot hopped away.

"Aw shucks, I'm overjoyed!" Bidoof exclaimed.

"Why is that?" Riolu asked.

"I'm glad to have members junior to me after waiting for so long!" Bidoof exclaimed, "I'm almost overcome right now! I just might blubber with happiness! Before you all signed on, I was the most recent rookie."

"Don't get too excited," Xaira commented, "Just because you outrank us, doesn't mean you get to tell us to do whatever you want."

"Xaira," Riolu whispered, "I think that's exactly what it means."

"Well, it shouldn't. If there is one thing I won't do, it's reduce myself to an errand girl. That one job was enough of that for me!" Bidoof just chuckled.

"No no!" he said, "It's not like that! Well, I'd best show you around. Come with me, please." Bidoof showed them around the guild. Xaira thought it pointless since she and Riolu already had a basic idea of where everything was, but she had to give the little Pokémon points for enthusiasm. Eventually, the group made their way outside. "Several exploration teams gather near that watering hole to plan out there explorations," Bidoof said as they passed a well of some sort, "By golly, it's a nice place to relax while you wait for your team to assemble." The group eventually arrived in a small town. Xaira glanced around fascinated. It was a lively place. Several Pokémon walked down the dirt road. Others sat at booths. Xaira had to wonder what exactly those Pokémon were doing.

"This is the main square for the local Pokémon," Bidoof explained, "It's called Treasure Town."

"Oh, I can tell you about Treasure Town, too," Riolu said, "There's Duskull Bank, where we can store our money, Electvire Link Shop, where you can do things like link moves together, Keckleon market, where you can buy and sell items, and finally, there's Kangaskan Storage, where items can be stored. That about covers it, I guess."

"You sure know a lot, yes sirree!" Bidoof said, "And that's good to know! All right then, come find me when you're all ready to go. I'll give you a helping hand with selecting the right outlaw for you.

"Thanks Bidoof!" Riolu said. Xaira nodded.

"Your help is very much appreciated, "she added with a polite nod, "Thank you."

"G-golly," Bidoof said with a blush and a wide grin. "You're embarrassing me! Aw, shucks… I'll be waiting at the guild's upper underground floor for you." Bidoof proceeded to walk away.

"All right let's go!" Riolu exclaimed, "I want to see what kinds of items are available at the Kecleon Market!" After a short walk, the two came across a stall where two Kecleon, green and violet, sat.

"Hello there, Riolu!" the green Kecleon greeted, "Who is this you have with you?"

"My…friend," Riolu explained. "Xaira, this is Kecleon and his brother, Kecleon."

"That must get interesting," Xaira commented. The Kecleon chuckled.

"It's nice to meet you!" the violet Kecleon greeted. Xaira replied with a polite nod.

"Welcome to the Kecleon Shop!" the green Kecleon said, "Feel free to examine my merchandise!" Xaira decided to allow Riolu to do the shopping, as she had no idea how to "buy items" as Riolu put it. Riolu elected to buy a couple apples.

"Thanks! Please come again!" the green Kecleon said as Riolu made his purchase.

"Misters Kecleon!" a young voice called. Xaira turned to the direction of the noise. Running towards the shop were two small, blue Pokémon.

"Ah! Little Marill and Azurill! Welcome my young friends!" the Green Kecleon greeted. Xaira and Riolu stood aside, giving the two smaller Pokémon room.

"Hello. May I buy an Apple?" the Azurill asked

"Oh, most certainly!" the green Pokémon said reaching for a decently sized bag and placing some apples in it.

"Thank you Misters Kecleon!" the Marill exclaimed, accepting the bag.

"No, thank you, my young friends!" the green Kecleon said, "You are to be admired!" The two young Pokémon skipped away. "You see," the violet Kecleon explained, "those delightful children are brothers. Lately, their poor mother has fallen sick. So those youngsters do the shopping for her. It's quite remarkable. Though they are young, they've stepped up and taken charge."

"Misters Kecleon!" The Marill and the Azurill came rushing back, looking worried.

"Oh? What's the hurry?" the green Kecleon asked, "What makes you return in such a rush?"

"There was an extra apple!" Azurill explained.

"We didn't pay for this many." Marill added. Xaira raised an eyebrow. If she was in that position, she would have walked off with the extra apple without a second thought. Served them right for being so careless. It wasn't like they actually needed the extra apple anyway.

"Oh, yes. That, young friends, is a gift from me and my brother," the green Kecleon said with a smile, "Please, share it among yourselves and do enjoy."

"Really?!" Marill asked.

"Yay!" Azurill exclaimed, "Thank you Mr. Kecleon and Mr. Kecleon!"

"Oh, not to worry, my friends," Kecleon said, "Do take care on your way home." The two Pokémon skipped away, but before they could get far, the little Azurill tripped, causing him to drop an apple.

"Yowch!" he cried as the apple rolled towards Xaira. Thinking quickly, Xaira stopped the apple with her paw. Azurill rushed to retrieve it. "W-we're sorry to bother you," Azurill stammered, "Thank you so much."

"Not a-" Xaira was cut off by a sudden wave of dizziness.

( _Huh? What was that? D-dizzy, or am I_?) she thought as she began to lose focus. She could feel a strange pressure on her lungs, making it more difficult to breathe. Xaira became very cold, and a strange tingling sensation came over her. The world around her became blurry as it faded to black. For a few moments, all Xaira could see was an endless darkness. . The strange tingling sensation became stronger. It felt as several little things were crawling all over her. She tried to move, but her muscles wouldn't budge. At this point, Xaira wanted nothing more than to scream, however, she couldn't make a sound. Suddenly, a bright light sliced through the darkness, accompanied by a loud crashing noise and the sensation of something shattering around her. Then, she couldn't even think. A loud voice filled her ears.

 _"_ _H-h-h-help!"_

Then came the feeling of being violently jerked back. Xaira felt as if she was attached to a string that had just been yanked. At that moment, a white light filled Xaira's vision. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the light faded, and Xaira's vision went back to normal. She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to ignore the throbbing headache she now had. Slowly, the warmth returned to her body.

( _What was that?)_ Xaira thought as she opened her eyes _,_ frantically looking around _. (I'm sure I heard a shout for help just now!)_

"Is something the matter?" Azurill asked, staring at Xaira. Xaira opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by Marill's call.

"Hey, Azurill! What's going on? Hurry up!"

"Yup! I'm coming! Wait up!" Azurill said as he ran back to Marril, briefly glancing over his shoulder as the two walked away.

"Ha! Those little guys are cute," Riolu said with a smile. He glanced at Xaira, taking note of the worried look on her face. "Huh? What's wrong, Xaira?"

`"Riolu," Xaira said, "Did you hear a shout for help just now?"

"Uh…no. I didn't hear anything like that," Riolu replied, "Hey Kecleon brothers. Did you strange just a moment ago?"

"No, nothing out of the ordinary," the green Kecleon answered.

"I didn't hear anything odd either," the violet Kecleon stated.

"See? The Kecleon brothers didn't hear anything like that either," Riolu said, "You were probably just imagining it, Xaira." Xaira sighed, deep in thought She was completely positive that she didn't imagine that shout.

( _That scream…I recognized that voice. There's no doubt about it. That scream belonged to little Azurill!)_

"Are you daydreaming?" Riolu asked with a light chuckle, breaking Xaira's thoughts. "Let's go already, Xaira!" Xaira nodded absentmindedly, and followed Riolu back through town. As they neared Duskull Bank, Xaira noticed Azurill and Marril talking to a large, yellow Pokémon.

" Hey! What's that about?" Riolu asked, noticing them as well. Riolu and Xaira approached the group.

"What's going on?" Riolu asked.

"Oh! Hi!" greeted Azurill.

"Some time ago, we lost an item that's pretty important to us," Marill explained, "We've been looking all over, but we haven't found it yet. Then Mr. Drowzee came along… And he says he may have seen our lost item somewhere! He even offered to help us look for it. We're so happy about this!" Xaira stared at Drowzee. Something about that Pokémon was defiantly off.

"Really? That's great!" Riolu said.

"Thank you, Mr. Drowzee!" Azurill said.

"Oh, please," Drowzee replied, "I'd have to have a cold heart to ignore kids in need! I can't turn a blind eye! Let's be on our way to begin our search!" Xaira simply glared at the strange Pokémon.

"Yup!" Azurill chirped. Drowzee and the brothers began to walk off together.

"Whoops!" Drowzee said as he bumped into Xaira. "Excuse me."

"He did that on purpose," Xaira grumbled.

Suddenly, the same dizzy feeling from earlier swept over her. Xaira blinked a few times in attempt to shake the feeling off, but to no avail.

"That Drowzee is sure a nice Pokémon," Riolu said cheerfully, completely unaware of what was happening, "You have to admire that! With more bad Pokémon around…it's hard to do good deeds."

( _It's happening again…Another dizzy spell._ ) She thought as the pressure on her lungs and the tingling sensation returned. Xaira shivered. The cold feeling had returned as well. Like before, her vision went dark, only to be pierced by a blinding light. This time however, the shattering feeling was much stronger. When the bright light disappeared, a picture came into view.

 _It was greyish, rocky area. Standing in the center of the place was Drowzee and Azurill. Azurill was trembling in fear._

 _"_ _If you keep being difficult, it will mean big trouble for you!" Drowzee exclaimed._

 _"_ _H-h-HELP!" Azurill shouted._

Once again, Xaira felt as though she was being yanked back.

 _(What was that?!)_ Xaira thought as she recovered, panting.

"I sure hope those kids find their item soon," Riolu said. Xaira looked up at him. Had he seriously not noticed what was going on? Riolu glanced at her. "Huh? What's up, Xaira?" he asked, "You're looking pretty grim." Xaira took a deep breath before answering.

"I had this…dizzy spell," Xaira replied, "And I saw Azurill being threatened by Drowzee! We need to catch up with them before it's too late!" Xaira ran a little ways forward, glancing behind her to see if Riolu was following. Riolu stared at Xaira for a few moments.

"What are you waiting for?" Xaira asked, walking back to Riolu. "This is an emergency!"

"Well, what you describe does sound like an emergency, but…" Riolu said, "Well, it's not like I don't trust you, Xaira, but I just can't believe it! I mean, Drowzee looked like an honestly nice Pokémon, didn't he? I watched the three of them walk off earlier. It looked like they were having a good time. You're probably just tired, Xaira. Maybe that's why you had that bad daydream." Xaira sighed. Riolu didn't believe her. She knew Riolu had a point. She had not been sleeping well, and Drowzee did seem to be friendly enough, but Xaira still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

"Anyway, we're only apprentices," Riolu continued, "We can't just go running off on our own. Sure, it's worrying, but we have to focus on our guild work for now. Let's get ready to explore, then meet up with Bidoof. Let's get to it, Xaira!" Xaira nodded, deep in thought. The two continued on their way. Xaira didn't speak for the rest of the way to the guild. She was too busy thinking about what had happened. Upon entering the guild, the duo made their way to the Outlaw Notice Board and met with Bidoof.

"Huh?" Bidoof said upon their arrival, "Are you folks all set and ready for exploring?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Riolu said with a weak smile.

"Don't let your nerves get the best of you," Xaira said If you think about it, this will be just like when we got your Relic Fragment back. You have nothing to worry about. So straighten up and quit your worrying. It will only cause trouble for you later."

"I guess," Riolu muttered, "You could be nicer about it, though."

"Then let's pick ourselves a lawbreaker for you to find," Bidoof said with a smile, "Well, you've got your pick of this sorry bunch of characters."

"Let's see. Which shall we pick?" Riolu said as he glanced over the posters. Xaira glanced over the posters as well, not really caring which one they fought.

"As your mentor, how about I do the choosing?" Bidoof suggested.

"Sounds fair," Xaira said, "Choose someone that you think we can handle, but not insultingly easy."

"Don't pick one that looks scary!" Riolu added. Xaira rolled her eyes.

"Appearances can be deceiving," Xaira warned, "How the opponent looks should not be what you're worried about."

"But still," Riolu replied, looking down. "It would be nice."

"Yes sirree, I hear you!" Bidoof replied, turning to examine the posters, "Let's see. Eenie meenie…"

"That's how he's choosing this?" Xaira whispered to Riolu, "We are most definitely in trouble."

"Stand clear!" A voice suddenly shouted, "Updating listings! Stand clear! Updating listings!" Riolu let out a cry of alarm. Xaira glanced around, trying to find the source of the noise.

"What's that? What's happening?" Riolu asked

"Oh, the data's getting updated." Bidoof said casually.

"It's being…updated?" Xaira asked. Suddenly, the panel flipped over, causing Riolu to jump.

"Yikes!" he exclaimed, "Did you see that?! The panel flipped over! What's going on here?"

"The Outlaw Notice Board and Job Bulletin Board are set up on revolving panels," Bidoof explained, "While the panel is flipped over…A Pokémon named Dugtrio swaps out the old jobs with the new ones. His job doesn't get noticed much, but it's an important one. That's why Dugtrio takes so much pride in his work, yup yup!"

"Update completed!" Dugtrio shouted, "Stand clear!"

"Oh, looks like he's done." Riolu commented. The panel flipped over, displaying new posters.

"Yes sirree! The data's updated!" Bidoof said, "The list of outlaws has been refreshed, so let's pick one." Out of the corner of her eye, Xaira noticed that Riolu had begun to tremble, not taking his eyes of the notice board. Bidoof took notice as well.

Huh? What's ailing you?" he asked, "Why are you shivering all of a sudden? It's not cold in here after all."

"Riolu," Xaira whispered, "What is it now? I told you that worrying would only-"

"T-t-take a look at this, Xaira!" Riolu said as he raised a shaky finger at the Notice Board, "Up top, on the left! " Xaira looked at the poster that Riolu was referring to. To her shock and horror, the Pokémon pictured was Drowzee!

"We have to get moving!" Xaira exclaimed, "Azurill will be in serious trouble!" Riolu nodded in agreement, and the two took off running.

"Now what's going on?" Bidoof asked, "Where are you all off to?" Neither answered. They rushed out of the guild and down the stairs towards the crossroads.

"The Azurill and Marill that I saw were in a mountainous place," Xaira said as they ran, "Do you know of a place like that?" Before Riolu could answer, he noticed someone pacing around the crossroads. Standing at the crossroads was little Marill, looking very distressed.

"Hey! There's Marill!" Riolu exclaimed as the two came to a stop.

"Marill!" Xaira called, "Where are Azurill and Drowzee?"

"Yes…About them!" Marill said, panic clear in his voice, "After we all left, we went looking for our lost item together…But I wound up all alone when Mr. Drowzee went somewhere with Azurill. I called and called! But they didn't come back. I was scared." Tears began to form in his eyes.

"So which way did they go?" Xaira asked, growing impatient.

"Th-that way!" Marill said, leading Xaira and Riolu down a path.

"You're sure that Drowzee and Azurill went off in this direction?" Riolu asked when they arrived at the foot of a rocky mountain.

"Yes…" Marill replied with a nod.

"Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed, The Drowzee and Azurill you saw in your dream…You said you saw them in a mountainous place, right?" Xaira nodded. "I think the two of them are up ahead here. Let's roll, Xaira, quick!" Xaira nodded.

"Marill! Go get help!" she said, rushing up the mountain. Mount Bristle wasn't a difficult climb, although, the sharp, grey rocks could be a hazard to some. Xaira and Riolu navigated it fairly easily, only stopping to fight a few enemies. Eventually, the duo reached the peak of the mountain. Several feet ahead stood Drowzee and Azurill. They appeared to be talking.

"I want my big brother!" Azurill shouted suddenly. He attempted to run away, but Drowzee caught up to him.

"H-hey! Stop that! Sheesh!" Drowzee exclaimed, "I said that I'll take you home when you're done! If you keep being difficult, it will mean big trouble for you!"

"H-h-h….HELP!" Azurill shouted.

"That's exactly what happened in my dream," Xaira whispered.

"Really?" Riolu asked, eyes wide. Xaira nodded, not taking her eyes off of Drowzee.

Xaira quickly ducked behind a rock, Riolu following her.

"What are we doing?" he asked.

"Alright," she said, "What we have to do is wait for the right moment. When that moment comes, we unleash a surprise attack." Silence. "Riolu, are you listening to me?" Xaira looked to the side. Riolu wasn't there.

"You have got to be kidding me," Xaira muttered, bringing her paw to her face as she watched Riolu rush over to where Drowzee was standing.

"Stop right there!" Riolu shouted. Drowzee spun around, facing Riolu.

"So much for the element of surprise," Xaira muttered as she stepped out of her hiding space and stood alongside Riolu.

"We won't let you do that! Drowzee you bully!" Riolu exclaimed.

"H-how did you find this place?!" Drowzee asked.

"We're team Vatonage!" Riolu declared, "An exploration team! No criminal can escape us!" Xaira raised an eyebrow. This was completely different from the timid Riolu she knew.

"Surrender now Drowzee," Xaira said, keeping her usual soft tone and looking quite bored. "I don't feel like wasting too much time today. If you refuse we will have to take you down. And believe me, it will be painful. If there is one thing I will not tolerate, it's the harming of children."

"An exploration team?!" Drowzee exclaimed. Riolu began to tremble. "You came to apprehend…" Drowzee trailed off, taking notice of Riolu's nervous state. "Huh Are you trembling?" Drowzee smirked. " A-ha! I've figured it out! You say you're on an exploration team, but you're total rookies! That's right, I'm a wanted Pokémon with a bounty on my head. But can you two do the job? Can you confront this outlaw and bring him to justice?"

"Y-yes," Riolu stuttered, gulping. He shook his head, calming himself down. "We can! We'd never lose to a bad guy like you!" Drowzee just laughed.

"I've been chased by all sorts of exploration teams in my day," he said, "But never a sorrier looking bunch than-" Before Drowzee could finish speaking, Xaira charged at him in an attempt to attack. Quickly, Drowzee dodged and unleashed a powerful Confusion move on Xaira, causing her to collapse.

"That hurts," Xaira grumbled, trying to stand up.

"Nice try," Drowzee said as he slowly approached her.

"Xaira!" Riolu shouted in concern. Thinking quickly, Riolu ran towards Drowzee and used Bite, dealing sufficient damage. He followed the move up with Quick Attack, which Drowzee dodged. Xaira took this opportunity to get back on her feet. She rushed back into battle, using Tackle and promptly getting hit by a counterattack. Riolu got knocked back as well.

"He's tough," Riolu remarked as he got back on his feet.

"No kidding," Xaira replied, standing up. "Do we have any Stun Seeds left?"

"Yes," Riolu replied, "Why?"

"Throw them!" Xaira ordered. Riolu nodded, pulling a Stun Seed out of the bag. Riolu threw the seed at Drowzee. Upon impact, the seed exploded, and Drowzee was frozen in pace. Not wasting a second, Xaira rushed forward, using Flail and proceeded to kick dirt into Drowzee's eyes before he had a chance to recover. Enraged, Drowzee swung his arm, this time, Xaira dodged the attack before unleashing Flail once more. Riolu rushed forward, using Quick Attack. Drowzee fell to the ground, and began to struggle to stand. Failing, he fell back to his knees.

"Well that takes care of-" Riolu stopped talking when Xaira used Tackle once more, causing Drowzee to fall unconscious.

"What was that?!" Riolu cried, "He was down! That was completely unnecessary!" Xaira whirled around, facing Riolu.

"He still could have done something!" Xaira argued, "Just because one can't stand doesn't mean that they are entirely helpless. Besides that, he has psychic powers! He still could have attacked!" Riolu shook his head.

"Never mind that," Riolu replied, "What's done is done. We need to take care of Azurill."

The duo proceeded to walk over to where Azurill was standing.

"We came to rescue you," Riolu said, "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"

"I'm okay" Azurill answered. He was still trembling from the frightening experience. Although she didn't show it, Xaira felt nothing but sympathy for him. He was just a child after all. Children shouldn't have to go through things like that.

"Awesome!" Riolu said giving Azurill a bright smile. "That's a big relief! Your big brother's waiting. Let's get you home!"

"Okay!" Azurill chirped.

"Wait!" Xaira cried, "What do we do about Drowzee?"

"I don't know," Riolu answered, "What do you suggest?"

"We could just kill him," Xaira said with a shrug.

"Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed, horrified that Xaira would suggest such a thing, especially in front of a child.

"Relax," Xaira replied, "It was just a little joke." She paused before mumbling to herself. "Mostly."

"Well it wasn't funny," Riolu replied. Suddenly, a loud buzzing noise cut through the air. Approaching the trio of Pokemon was a Magnezone and two Magnemite, led by Marill. The Magnemite and the Magnezone floated over to Drowzee, examining him.

"Azurill!" Marill cried, rushing forward to hug his brother.

"Marril! Marill! It was so scary!" Azurill cried into Marill's shoulder.

"Are you okay, Azurill? Are you hurt?" Marill asked as tears filled his eyes.

"He's fine. The little guy's not hurt at all." Riolu said with a smile.

"Really? That's a relief!" Marill exclaimed, still hugging his brother, "Oh, Azurill…Azurill…" The two children seemed close to sobbing.

"I'm really glad for you guys." Riolu said.

"You did this all for us, Riolu and Xaira," Marill said, "We won't forget what you did for us. Thank you so much! Come on Azurill. You too."

"Thank you very much!" Azurill chirped, "Thank you for rescuing me!"

"Really. Thank you!" Marill said. Xaira couldn't help but smile. Seeing the look of relief in the two young Pokémon's eyes brought a warm feeling to her heart. After saying goodbye and thanking the duo once again, the two young Pokémon scampered off. As soon as they did, Drowzee began to stir. Xaira promptly prepared for another fight, but the Magnemite grabbed his arms before he could do anything. How? Xaira had no idea.

"I am officer Magnezone," the Magnezone said, buzzing as he spoke, "I am the primary officer in this region. Thanks to you, we have been able to arrest a wanted outlaw! We owe you a great thanks for your cooperation! We Will send the reward to your guild. Thank you again!" With that Magnezone and the Magnemite hauled a very frustrated and humiliated Drowzee away. Xaira couldn't help but crack a small smile at the defeated look on Drowzee's face.

"You know," Xaira said as she watched, "If more jobs were like this, I might not mind working at the guild. I must say, beating up that criminal was sort of satisfying." Riolu just stared at her for a moment before shaking his head with a sigh.

"We should get back to the guild," Riolu said, "Chatot will be waiting for us." Xaira nodded.

"After what we went through, I wouldn't be surprised if we got a much larger reward this time," Xaira said with a nod as the duo headed back to the guild.

"Huh?! We get only this much?!" Riolu exclaimed staring at the measly 300 Poké in his hand, "After all that hard work!"

"Do you have any idea what I went through to get that reward?" Xaira asked, "It's going to take me forever to get this Spinarak web out of my hair! Not to mention all the times I got poisoned! On top of that, Drowzee was tough! And you dare hand out a portion of reward that small?"

"But of course!" Chatot said with a roll of his eyes, "It's all part of the training! And we expect just as much effort tomorrow!" With that, Chatot hopped off. Xaira just stared, seething.

"You know, it would make me happy if our share was just a little bigger," Riolu said with a sigh. Xaira had to agree with him. Although, she would have preferred to get something useful rather than something that had to be traded for something useful. Riolu soon brightened up. "But that's OK. We managed to rescue Azurill, and that's the important thing. It's all thanks to you, Xaira! Because you had that dream, we knew about Azurill's trouble in advance." Calming down, Xaira nodded.

"I can't really explain it," Xaira said, "All I know is that the first shout I heard from Azurill and that dream I had both took place in the future. Why was I able to see something like that?" Xaira trailed off, deep in thought. Her thoughts were broken by a low growl.

"Whoops! My stomach growled!" Riolu said with a bright smile. As if on cue, and much to her embarrassment, Xaira's own stomach growled. That was when Xaira noticed how hungry she was. Riolu laughed. "Your stomach growled too, Xaira! I guess we must be starved! We were so focused on rescuing Azurill that I didn't notice at all! But now, I'm even hungrier! Let's go get dinner, Xaira!" That evening, at dinner, Xaira ate a bit more than the day before. She watched as Riolu happily chatted with other guild members. Xaira, however, made no effort to interact with the others, only speaking when spoken to. None of them seemed too interested in her anyway.

"It looks like it's really stormy tonight," Riolu said as he stared out the window of his and Xaira's room. Xaira glanced out the window as well, watching the torrents of rain and the flashes of lightning in fascination. "Wait a second!" Riolu suddenly spoke up. " You know the night before we met, Xaira? It was storming then, too! I found you out cold on the beach the day after, Xaira. Do you remember why? Can you remember anything at all?" Xaira focused trying to remember, for the briefest moment, she could remember the sound of screams, flashes of light, and intense pain. She couldn't remember anything else. Xaira shook her head in frustration.

"I guess it won't be that easy," Riolu said sympathetically, "But that's all right. Just try remembering a little at a time. We have to get up early again tomorrow. Let's get some sleep." Xaira attempted to settled, but once again, she found it difficult. Eventually, she closed her eyes, trying her best to relax. Slowly, she began to drift off.

"Hey, Xaira," Riolu whispered suddenly, "Are you still awake? I've been thinking about this since it happened. That weird dream you had, Xaira…Maybe it has to do with you personally, Xaira."

"Huh?" Xaira mumbled. She had no clue what Riolu was going on about. In all honesty, she just wanted to get to sleep.

"It's just the feeling that I get," Riolu explained, "I sure don't know any other Eevee that dreams about the future. And I've certainly never heard of any other human suddenly turning into a Pokémon, either That's why I think those two events are connected. I just can't shake that feeling."

"That's a bit of a stretch, don't you think?" Xaira replied with a yawn, mentally pleading with Riolu to stop talking.

"Maybe. I don't know what you were like as a human, Xaira, but I feel like you were a good person," Riolu said, "Sure, you're a bit mean at times. And you are a tad violent. But, it was your dream that helped us save Azurill and catch that bad Pokémon. And you did drop everything to help save the kid."

"Bad Pokémon, huh?" Xaira mumbled, not really payng attention to a word Riolu was saying. Riolu narrowed his eyes, realizing that Xaira just didn't care about what he had to say. Riolu took a deep breath.

"You know," Riolu continued, "Time is getting messed up bit by bit, all over the world. No one seems to know why. But everyone believes that the Time Gears are involved." At the mention of Time Gears, Xaira's heart skipped a beat, confusing her. Something about those words felt very important, but Xaira couldn't place why.

"Time Gears?" Xaira asked, rolling over to face Riolu.

"They say that Time Gears are hidden in secret places around the world," Riolu explained, "Like in a forest…Or at a lake in an underground cavern. I've heard that there's even one hidden inside a volcano. At the center of such places is what's known as a Time Gear. Time Gears serve a very important function. Each one protects time and keeps time flowing properly in its region."

"But what happens if a region loses its Time Gear?" Xaira asked.

"I don't really know the answer to that question," Riolu replied, "But my guess is that if a Time Gear is removed from a region, the flow of time in that region will probably stop too. That's why everyone makes sure never to disturb the Time Gears. Everyone has long been certain that some kind of disaster would strike. Even the most hardened criminal Pokémon know to avoid messing with them."

"So what could possibly be happening with the Time Gears?" Xaira asked, "If no one tampers with them, how could they be involved? If what you say is true, do you think that someone would be crazy or dumb enough to steal one?"

"I don't know," Riolu replied, "I sure hope not." He paused, yawning. "Anyway, worrying about it won't do anything. For now, we should work on out guild work. Good night, Xaira."

In the Northeast, deep in a forest, a shadowy figure sprinted through the trees, having nothing but the lightning to light their way. Eventually, they came across a small clearing that was illuminated by a mystical blue-green light. There floating above a tree stump was a small, blue gear.

"Do my eyes deceive me? Could it be…?" the figure muttered as they approached the gear. "Yes, it is! I've finally found it! A Time Gear!" the figure grabbed the small gear and ran off into the night. "But…this is only the first of many."

Xaira's eyes snapped open. Breathing heavily, she stood up, shaking her head. Something, although she had no idea what, had awoken her. She couldn't recall any odd or frightening dreams, nor was there a noise louder than the pouring rain and thunder outside. She glanced over to Riolu, who was fast asleep. Silently, Xaira crept to the window, and watched the storm. She couldn't place it, but she had the feeling that something had gone very, very wrong.

* * *

 ** _This chapter was a long one. Should I split up larger chapters from now on, or is it fine as-is? Anyway, please review. Constructive criticism is very helpful to me. If I made any mistakes, please tell me. Thank you for reading._**


	4. The Gatekeepers

**_I will no longer be replying to reviews in the review section. Would you guys rather reply to certain reviews in the Author's Notes or would you rather have me simply PM you?_**

* * *

The next few days at the guild were not very hectic. Xaira and Riolu had begun to become used to the guild's schedule. The jobs they took were relatively easy, and upon Xaira's insistence, no jobs involving collecting or delivering items were taken.

"I don't want to do something that some lazy Pokémon could do for himself," she would say every time Riolu suggested one. Riolu however, begged Xaira not to make them go hunt down too many criminals, much to Xaira's disappointment. There was something thrilling about hunting down and outwitting criminal Pokémon. Outwitting them, in Xaira's opinion, was the most fun part. Second to that was, of course, the look on the criminals' faces when they were caught. In addition to all that, Xaira felt that hunting down criminals was the least pointless job out there.

Riolu, however, did not agree. While he did believe that catching criminals was a noble cause, he didn't believe that it was for him. He preferred the rescue missions as they were, in his opinion, a lot less frightening. The best part of the job for him was seeing the happy faces of the rescued Pokémon.

They often spent their free time on the guild's lowermost floor. Riolu mingled with the other apprentices, mainly Bidoof and Corphish, chattering excitedly about mystery dungeons and what treasures that could possibly be found in them. Xaira, on the other hand, mainly kept to herself. She spent her time studying the Wonder Map, planning battle strategies, and working out the strengths and weaknesses of the possible hostile Pokemon that may be encountered.

"We are never doing that kind of job again," Xaira declared one evening as she and Riolu sat in the guild's lowermost floor. That day, Riolu had insisted on an escort mission. Xaira had rejected the idea at first, saying that a Pokémon had no business going somewhere if they weren't strong enough to get through the area themselves. Riolu, however, insisted, saying that it would be easy compared to the other missions they had lined up for that day. Xaira reluctantly agreed and regretted it immensely. The client "didn't have enough sense to tell his head from his tail" as Xaira put it. The small, enthusiastic Shellos would rush right into battle even with Pokémon that were obviously much stronger than him. The fact that they had more jobs to do that day, including catching an outlaw, made Xaira even more frustrated. "Honestly, who in their right mind rushes into battle like that? I never want to go through that experience again!"

"At least he had a type advantage that one time," Riolu offered.

"No excuse," Xaira countered, "He ran right up to that criminal Pokémon! That idiot nearly got us-"

"Goodness!" a voice exclaimed, "Trouble with a job?" Xaira glanced over her shoulder. Approaching them was Sunflora, another apprentice. While Xaira was often annoyed by the flower-like Pokémon's overly cheerful attitude, she did have to respect her knowledge and skill in battle.

"Nothing much," Xaira replied, "The client just kept wandering into battle and wasting our Reviver Seeds. He even tried to fight an outlaw! If that wasn't bad enough, the entire time: Mud Sport! Mud Sport! Mud Sport!" Sunflora smiled.

"Sounds to me like you need some friendly advice!" Sunflora said. Xaira grunted in response. "Really, the best thing to do in that situation is to stick very close to your client, so that whenever they get into trouble, you can be right there to help them! Make sure you stand between them and powerful Pokémon. In addition, you might want to start carrying some Rollcall Orbs, just in case."

"I suppose," Xaira trailed off. "Thanks, I guess."

"Not a problem!" Sunflora replied with a large grin, "If you ever need anything, feel free to ask me!" Loudred walked by, quickly glancing at Sunflora. The two maintained eye contact for a brief moment before quickly turning away, huffing. Xaira raised an eyebrow. What exactly was going on between those two? She shook her head, deciding that it was none of her business and that if it was important, she would find out sooner or later.

"What was that about?" Riolu asked.

"Nothing," Sunflora muttered, "Nothing at all. Anyway, I'll see you two later!" With that, she walked away to join some of the other apprentices.

"That was odd," Riolu said.

"You should be used to it by now," Xaira replied. "This guild is full of all sorts of strange characters." As if to prove her point, Croagunk walked past, muttering and chuckling to himself. "See what I mean? Weird."

"And you're not?" Riolu asked.

"Excuse me?" Xaira retorted, an amused smile forming on her lips. Riolu took a few steps back and gulped.

"Uh-" A ringing bell, signaling dinner, cut him off

Xaira sighed, shaking her head. "We should go get dinner now. I don't want to be late and have the good stuff eaten." Nodding, Riolu followed Xaira to the dining hall.

The next day, after the morning address, Xaira and Riolu prepared for another day's work when they were approached by Loudred.

"HEY, you two! We need your help with something today!" Loudred shouted. Without waiting for an answer, he led Riolu and Xaira to a rather large hole with a vine growing out of it.

"I brought them!" Loudred announced. Near the hole was Diglett, who looked rather concerned.

"Thank you, Loudred." Diglett said.

"You two are doing sentry duty today!" Loudred announced with a rather large grin on his face.

"Sorry," Diglett said, "I'm usually the one to do sentry duty. But today, my dad gave me his duty of updating the boards. Please do a good job for me. Bye!" Before either Xaira or Riolu could protest, Diglett burrowed away.

"And that's THAT." Loudred said, maintaining his grin from earlier.

"What," Xaira said flatly.

"Huh? I didn't follow that at all!" Riolu exclaimed.

"What does this have to do with us?" Xaira asked.

"Shut your YAP!" Loudred exclaimed. Xaira blinked at the loud noise while Riolu jumped.

"Is that really necessary?" Xaira asked.

"Ugh…my head hurts…" Riolu grumbled, rubbing his ears.

"What do you want us to do, anyway?" Xaira asked, hoping that Loudred would just get to the point.

"Climb down this hole and stand guard!" Loudred replied, "You're on sentry duty! We can't have suspicious characters coming into the guild. So we station a sentry below the guild entrance to evaluate Pokémon visitors. When you first came, you had your footprint evaluated, right?"

"My footprint? What do you…" Riolu trailed off for a moment before snapping his fingers. "Oh I remember! There was that weird hole in front of the gate! When I stood on the grating, someone shouted up at me! It was pretty startling!"

"OK, so, we climb down this hole. What next?" Xaira asked.

"The tunnel down there leads to the sentry post." Loudred explained. "Diglett digs through and pops out underneath it. From the sentry post, Diglett inspects the footprints of visitors. Identifies them, and then informs me. I then decide if the Pokémon is suspicious or not and open the gate if he passes muster. That's the gist of it."

"Wait a moment," Xaira said, "You're telling me that we identify the Pokémon while you check and see if said Pokémon is suspicious or not? That doesn't even make sense! Why go through this complicated process when all you have to do is stand by the gate and watch for visitors! Is that so hard?" Loudred blinked.

"That's not how it works," he said quickly, visibly irritated. "Just inspect the footprints of visitors, and tell me what Pokémon they are. Understood?" Xaira and Riolu simply nodded. "Good! Then let's get to WORK!"

"It's pitch black in here, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed as they made their way through the tunnel.

"That usually comes with being underground with no light sources," Xaira replied with a roll of her eyes. "We'll just have to feel our way."

"Ouch!"

"What is it now?"

"You stepped on my foot!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Then what was it!"

"Probably a ghost."

"Not funny!"

"Hey! That's my tail!"

"It was probably the ghost."

"Just keep moving!"

"Hey! There! I see light, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed as a dim light came into view. Riolu and Xaira rushed to the light and stood underneath the grate.

"HOW'S IT GOING?!" Loudred shouted, "Have you taken position at the sentry post?!"

"Yup! We're here!" Riolu called.

"Pokémon visitors will step onto the grill above the sentry post!" Loudred said, "Identify them by footprint, then inform me! Got that?!"

"Yup! Got it!" Riolu chirped.

"GOOD!" Loudred replied, "Let's get started!" Luckily for Xaira and Riolu, it was a slow day when it came to visitors. Xaira was no expert in Pokémon footprints, and remembering what Pokémon she usually saw visiting the guild and wandering around Treasure Town, she could narrow down the possible Pokémon that the footprints belonged to. This made her job a whole lot easier. Of course, there were a few footprints of Pokémon not from Treasure Town or frequent visitors at the guild. At those points, Riolu's input was invaluable. She could always tell when he knew the answer as he dropped hints, much to Xaira's annoyance. She just wished that he simply tell her what Pokémon it was instead of trying to be funny. After a while, Diglett showed up, signaling the end of Xaira and Riolu's shift.

"So," Xaira said that evening during dinner, "How do you suppose we can see those Pokemon's footprints?"

"What do you mean?" Riolu asked.

"Well," Xaira said taking a bite out of an Oran Berry, "Logically speaking, shouldn't we see a silhouette rather than a footprint?" Riolu paused to think for a moment.

"I'm sure it's best that we don't think about it, Xaira." Riolu replied.


	5. The First Official Exploration

_**I have a question for you. If I ever get writers block for this story, I plan to write something else until I get over it. I have ideas for a prequel to Explorers of Sky, a prequel to Super Paper Mario( Either the story of the Pixl Queen or Timpani and Blumiere), and a prequel to Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door. (The story of the four heroes). Which one would be the most interesting?**_

* * *

The next morning, Xaira noticed that something was definitely off. First of all, there were no morning cheers. The apprentices whispered amongst themselves in confusion. Xaira noticed that Chatot looked rather troubled. The parrot-like Pokemon constantly shifted his feet, and glanced around as if nervous.

"Hey," she whispered to Riolu, "What's up with him?"

"I don't know," Riolu replied, "but I think we're about to find out." Chatot cleared his throat, nervously glancing around the room.

"Everyone, listen up," Chatot said. His voice, for a moment, sounded strained. "I have an important announcement to make. Far to the northeast, there lies a place called Treeshroud Forest. There, time has apparently stopped." For a moment, everything was dead silent. Xaira froze, unsure of what to make of that piece of news. She could feel the dread in the air. Riolu swallowed, shaking in fear. Murmurs and cries of alarm filled the room. Xaira glanced at Wigglytuff, who seemed to be doing his best to hide his worried expression. She then looked at Riolu, who was trembling.

"But…How could something this awful happen?" Sunflora asked. "It's unthinkable!"

"Yes," Chatot said with a nod, his expression grim. "The unthinkable has indeed happened. Why has time stopped in Treeshroud Forrest, you ask? Well, it's because Treeshroud Forest's Time Gear was," Chatot paused for a brief moment, swallowing. He looked as though he was having trouble believing what had happened himself. "The Time Gear was," another pause. "Stolen!" Murmurs filled the room once more. Riolu and Xaira exchanged concerned glances, remembering the conversation they had nights before.

"Why would ANYONE take a Time Gear?!" Loudred suddenly shouted above all the noise. With that, the murmurs grew louder.

"Quiet, everyone!" Chatot shouted with a flap of his wings, "I understand that it's hard to believe that anyone would dare steal a Time Gear. However, we must focus on the bigger issue. If one Time Gear can be stolen, the others may well be in danger. Officer Magnezone asked to be notified immediately if we notice any suspicious characters. Report anything out of the ordinary, even if it does not seem important. That is all." Chatot took a deep breath. Trying to put on his best smile, he continued. "All right everyone! Here's to another busy day of work!" The crowd dispersed and everyone set off to do their duties. Xaira glanced at Riolu, who was still in shock. Xaira opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by Chatot.

"You two, come here." Xaira and Riolu walked to where Chatot was standing. Chatot seemed to notice Riolu's shocked state, and gave him what Xaira thought was supposed to be a sympathetic glance. "You two have become quite good at your work. I'm impressed with your capture of Drowzee. That was very admirable!"

"Really?" Riolu asked, a smile forming on his face. Chatot nodded.

"As a result, you will be assigned a mission worthy of a proper exploration team."

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira straightened up, interested in what Chatot had to say.

"Open your Wonder Map," Chatot ordered. Riolu did so. Chatot examined the map until he pointed to a waterfall. "Here is where we want you to investigate. There is a rather large waterfall not too far from Capim Town. By all appearances, this is just an ordinary waterfall, but we received intelligence that it may conceal a secret. Your job is to investigate the waterfall and determine what's there."

"Understood." Riolu said, rolling up the map and placing it in his bag.

"Good!" Chatot said, "I'll leave you to it!" Out of the corner of her eye, Xaira noticed Riolu trembling.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Chatot asked. Riolu didn't answer. Tears welled in his eyes. Chatot flapped his wings, panicking, "A-are you alright?" Chatot asked frantically.

"Yup I'm OK," Riolu said with a nod, "It's just that the anticipation is making me nervous. This will be our first real job as an exploration team. I'm feeling a little worked up." Xaira shook her head with an amused smile.

"You're quite the emotional one, aren't you?" she asked, "Let's get this over with before you explode." Riolu nodded with a smile.

"Let's go, Xaira," he said, racing to the ladder.

"Oh! Xaira! And Riolu too!" Chimecho called when Riolu and Xaira arrived on the guild's upper underground floor. She was standing at a desk of some sort. Xaira glanced at it, wondering what it could be for. It wasn't very decorated. It merely seemed to have stacks of papers.

"Hey, what's going on over here?" Riolu asked as the duo approached the desk. Xaira looked over the papers on the desk. Each one contained a picture of a Pokemon with some sort of information written near it.

"I just started an assembly here," Chimecho explained, "Have you ever considered adding new members?" Riolu thought for a moment before speaking.

"It'd be great to have other members!" he exclaimed, "If there were more than just the two of us, it sure would help when we explore dungeons!" Xaira wasn't so sure. If there was one thing she didn't look forward to, it was inexperienced Pokémon rushing into battle and having to get them out of it. On the other hand, new allies could indeed be very helpful. It was possible that extra help would speed up jobs.

"Well then! You need to start recruiting new members!" Chimecho said cheerfully.

"How do we start?" Riolu asked, becoming very excited.

"I'll just ring the friendship bell," Chimecho said with a smile.

"Friendship bell?" Xaira asked flatly.

"Here goes!" Chimecho said as she rang the bell on her head, "Now you have the power to recruit new members!"

"R-really?" Riolu asked.

"Ringing a bell did that?" Xaira asked.

"Yes!" Chimecho answered, the grin not leaving her face.

"Great! Thanks, Chimecho!" Riolu said, "Well, let's go, Xaira! We have to get to that waterfall!"

"Friendship bell?" Xaira said as soon as they were outside the guild. "Really? She couldn't have picked a less cheesy name?" Riolu rolled his eyes and smiled at her comment.

"Hey!" Riolu said as soon at the duo was at the bottom of the guild's stairs, "What's that?" He rushed forward, Xaira following close behind him. Riolu stopped at a hole in the ground with stairs leading down.

"That's new," Xaira said, "Come to think of it, weren't there some strange Pokémon hanging out around this area?" Riolu wasn't listening. He was too busy staring at a nearby sign.

"Spinda's Café," he read, "A Shop of Hopes and Dreams, Opening Soon! Win Big!"

"A new shop huh?" Xaira muttered. Riolu nodded.

"Let's come back after it's open and check it out." He said.

"Maybe," Xaira replied, "Depends on what kind of shop it is." After a stop at Treasure Town to gather supplies, Xaira and Riolu set off to find the waterfall. After what felt like hours of walking and a stop at Capim town to get directions, they finally arrived. Xaira and Riolu stood on a large, flat rock they had found directly in front of the waterfall. Xaira stared at it in awe. It was much bigger than she expected. The sound it made crashing down was like thunder. Water spray went everywhere, forming a mist.

"So this is the waterfall that's supposed to have a secret," Riolu said, staring at it. Xaira glanced around for anything out of the ordinary, such as a path that lead behind the waterfall. She sighed in frustration. She didn't see anything, and the mist wasn't making anything easier.

"Well," Xaira said, "A path won't just open up if we sit here and stare at it for a while. It doesn't look like we can just walk behind it either." She shook her head. "Give me three minutes. I'll think of something." Riolu stepped closer to the waterfall. The force of the water coming down made it difficult for him to stand near it. He reached out his hand, sticking it into the water. He yelped at the pain of the water coming down on his hand and jumped back.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, "That water's coming down hard!"

"Obviously," Xaira replied, "I can feel the force of it from where I'm standing."

"You try getting close to it!" Riolu said. Sighing, Xaira stepped closer to the water. As she did, she could feel the force of the waterfall even more. She squinted in attempt to keep droplets of water from getting into them.

"This is incredible!" Xaira exclaimed, looking back at Riolu. Xaira reached out a paw to touch the water, but jerked back the moment she made contact, the force causing her to tumble backwards.

"Crazy isn't it?" Riolu asked, "If you fell under this waterfall, I bet you'd get pretty beat up. Where are we even supposed to begin looking?"

"Why don't you sing a little tune?" Xaira suggested as she stood and wiped water off her face with her paw, "Maybe the waterfall will open up and reveal a new path."

"This is serious, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira opened her mouth to reply, but was stopped by a sudden wave of dizziness.

( _This_ _again?)_ she thought. Just like the last few times, the coldness, the stiffness, and the darkness returned. After the bright light and the shattering feeling, Xaira could see an image.

 _The area near the waterfall was dark. A silhouette of a lone Pokémon came into view. The Pokémon glanced around, as if fearing they were being followed. After a few moments, the Pokémon charged forward, jumping into the waterfall! The scene changed, showing the lone Pokémon tumbling forward into a cave. Standing up, the Pokémon walked deeper into the cave._

The vision cut off, and Xaira felt the familiar feeling of being jerked back.

( _What did I just see?")_ Xaira thought as her sight returned to her.

"What is it, Xaira?" Riolu asked, "You kind of spaced out there."

"It happened again," Xaira replied, "I saw something."

"Another vision?" Riolu asked. Xaira nodded, "What was it this time?"

"There was a lone Pokémon," Xaira replied, "Whoever it was jumped right through the waterfall and into a cave on the other side." Riolu hummed in thought.

"But it looks like that water is coming down really hard," Riolu said, "What if there's actually a solid cliff wall behind that waterfall? Ouch!"

"Listen," Xaira said, "I know it may sound crazy, but my vision was right before, and I believe that it's right now. All I ask is that you trust me. Please."

"Well…" Riolu began, trailing off. "All right." Riolu nodded, a confident look forming on his face. "I'm going to believe you, Xaira."

"Smart decision," Xaira said with a smile, "We'll jump when you're ready." Riolu nodded, and the Pokémon took a few steps back. Riolu took a deep breath, mumbling to himself.

"Be brave…" he muttered, "Be bravest ever!"

"Ready?" Xaira asked.

"As I'll ever be," Riolu said with a weak smile.

"Then let's go!" With that, the two Pokémon charged forward, jumping into the waterfall. The first thing Xaira felt was the pressure of the waterfall coming down on her. After that was the feeling of tumbling on cold, hard stone. Opening her eyes, Xaira realized that she was now in a cave. She stood up, glancing around. She smiled.

"I told you so," Xaira said, glancing at Riolu, who was slowly standing up.

"W-what is this?" he asked.

"Cold, dark, made entirely out of stone," Xaira replied, "I'm going to have to go with cave."

"You're hilarious," Riolu said flatly, "Anyway, let's explore it. I can't wait to see what secrets it holds!" Xaira nodded in agreement.

The cave was dim, and very muddy. Much to Xaira's embarrassment, she fell into a pool of water a few minutes into exploring. Even more to her frustration, Riolu found the incident hilarious. Xaira got her laugh later, however, when Riolu "accidentally" tripped and fell into a pit of mud. There were a few confrontations with hostile Pokémon there. At one point, a defeated Wooper wanted to join them. Riolu, of course, agreed immediately and convinced Xaira that it was a good idea. The little Pokémon, Xaira had to admit, was helpful, explaining the hazards of the cave and warning the team of exactly what hostile Pokémon lived there. Xaira just wished that he would stop using Mud Sport so often.

"I've got to hand it to you," Xaira whispered to Riolu, "You made a good decision in recruiting this Pokemon."

"I couldn't just say no," Riolu replied.

"You realize that there will be times when we have to," Xaira said.

"I hope that's never the case," Riolu said, "I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings."

"Did you two say something?" Wooper asked.

"It's nothing," Xaira replied.

"Do you get a lot of visitors here?" Riolu asked in an attempt to start a conversation.

"Doubt it," Xaira said, "I'm pretty sure that not a lot of Pokémon go jumping through waterfalls." Riolu looked down sheepishly.

"Your friend's right," Wooper said, "The last outsider we had passed through a while back. It was long ago, so I don't know who they were or what became of them. I only know that whoever it was didn't leave the same way that they came in. If they left at all." Riolu tensed.

"Now there's an uplifting thought," Xaira said.

They continued through the cave until they came across a dead end. Xaira's eyes widened in amazement. There was a wide walkway, with water on both sides. The floor, walls, and ceiling were covered in colorful, sparkling, gems.

"Whoa," Xaira whispered, looking around.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Wooper asked, "Pokémon usually don't go this deep in the cave."

"Why not?" Xaira asked.

"We don't usually have a reason to," Wooper replied.

"Wow! Look at that, Xaira!" Riolu said, pointing to a large, pink crystal that was lodged in the wall. Xaira gaped at it. It was bigger than she was!

"This is an incredible treasure!" Riolu said, "Here! Take the Treasure Bag!" He quickly placed the bag on Xaira's shoulder and rushed to the gem, grasping onto it and attempting to pull it out. "Everyone's going to be really impressed when we take this back with us!"

"If we take it back with us," Xaira said, "That thing's bigger than I am. How do you expect us to get it out of here?" Riolu ignored her, continuing to pull on the gem. After a few minutes, he stepped away.

"It's not budging one bit," Riolu said, "Do you think you could give it a try, Xaira?" He took the Treasure Bag from her.

"In case you haven't noticed," Xaira said, "I no longer have thumbs. I don't even have actual hands." She held up a paw for emphasis.

"At least you have something close," Wooper commented, "I don't even have arms."

"Don't worry," Riolu said, "Just wrap your arms around it and lean back."

"It won't work," Xaira said, stepping up to the gem and putting a paw on each side. Seeing the gem so close, Xaira felt that there was something odd about it. Something about it didn't feel natural. She soon shook the feeling away. Leaning back, Xaira attempted to pull the gem out, but to no avail.

"No good," Xaira said as she stepped away from it, "It's useless to keep trying. Just grab a smaller gem, and we can get out of here?"

"We can't just give up!" Riolu argued. Riolu walked back to the gem, attempting to pull it out once more. Xaira watched, quickly becoming bored, when suddenly, another dizzy spell hit her.

"Not again," she muttered as the cold feeling returned.

 _In the gem filled room, the same Pokémon from before walked down the pat. Whoever it was stopped in front of the large, pink gem. Reaching out, the Pokémon pushed it. A few moments passed. The room started shaking, and a flood of water swept through the room, sweeping over the Pokémon._

Once her sight returned, Xaira gasped for air.

"Riolu!" she called, keeping as calm as she possibly could, "Step away from the gem! Now!"

"Why?"Riolu asked, quickly pushing away from the gem. A clicking noise echoed through the cave.

"Riolu," Xaira said, keeping her calm demeanor despite her frustration "If we get out of this, I'm going to kill you."

The ground started to shake.

"Huh? What's going on?" Riolu asked.

"Don't talk!" Xaira exclaimed "Run!" Xaira made a break for the exit, with Riolu running ahead of her. Suddenly, Xaira slipped and fell to the ground, twisting her foot. She hears a roaring noise and glanced to the side. Her eyes widened when she saw the rushing water coming at her.

"Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed, running back to her, taking her paw. Before anything else could happen, Xaira felt the force of the water crashing into her, and everything went dark.

"Xaira! Wake up!"

The first thing Xaira noticed was a dull pain in her foot. Slowly, she became aware of the area surrounding her, It was warm, and Xaira felt as though she were floating. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see Riolu staring at her with a concerned expression.

"What?" she muttered, standing up, and realizing that she was standing knee-deep in water. She tried to remember what happened. Slowly, the memories returned to her. The gem, the water, Riolu turning back to save her. Xaira inwardly frowned. Why would he do that when he was so close to safety? Did he really care that much about her well-being? For Xaira, that was a little hard to believe as they had not known each other that long. But still, Riolu seemed like a genuinely good Pokémon. Despite his timid nature, it almost made sense that he would do something like that.

"Are you two okay?" a voice asked, breaking her out of her thoughts. Xaira glanced to the side. A Teddiursa slowly walked up to her. "You plopped down from nowhere! You startled everyone!"

"Where are we?" Xaira asked,

"This is the Hot Spring!" the Teddiursa explained.

"Hot Spring?" Xaira repeated.

"Indeed!" a new voice spoke up. Xaira and Riolu turned in the direction that it came from. Standing on some nearby rocks was a Torkoal. "The Hot spring works wonders on tired muscles and creaky joints. Tell me, youngster, have you a map?"

"We do," Riolu replied. Riolu wandered to a nearby rock, where the Treasure bag sat. Digging through it, Riolu pulled out the parchment, showing it to Torkoal.

"There," Torkoal said, pointing out a sketch of a spring a good distance southeast of the waterfall. "This is the Hot Spring's location."

"Check this out, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed, "The water carried us all the way over here!"

"My goodness!" Torkoal exclaimed, "What a journey that must have been! Let the Hot Spring wash away your fatigue before you make your way home."

"We'll do that," Riolu said with a smile, "Thanks everyone!" Xaira leaned back against a nearby rock relaxing.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," she said.

"Hey, Xaira," Riolu said as they walked back to the guild.

"What is it Riolu?" Xaira asked.

"Back there, with the gem. I should have listened to you. I'm sorry." Xaira shook her head.

"Everything turned out alright," she replied, "So don't feel too down about it. Also, you tried to save me back there. I have to admit, I am impressed, although I still don't know why you would do something like that. That being said, you're definitely braver than you give yourself credit for." Riolu shook his head.

"To be honest," he said, "I don't know what came over me. I just saw you in danger, and it was like I had no control over what I was doing."

"Well, whatever it was, I am grateful," Xaira said, "Even if it wouldn't have changed anything." Riolu looked down.

"Again," he said, tears starting to form, "I'm sorry. I messed up. What if-"

"Now you listen here," Xaira snapped, "Stop getting so emotional about this. I do not tolerate pointless moping. Yes, you could have gotten us killed back there."

"Is this supposed to make me feel better?" Riolu asked.

"Let me finish," Xaira said, "As I was saying, we could have died, but we didn't." You understand your mistake yes?"

"Yes, but-"

"And you know to listen to warnings from now on, correct?"

"Yes, but I-"

"And when you realized that I was in danger, you went back, risking your life in an attempt to save mine, did you not?" Riolu nodded.

"I did," he replied.

"And everything turned out just fin in the end, did it not?"

"It did."

"There you go," Xaira replied, "End of discussion. Also." Xaira took a deep breath, swallowing her pride. "I could have done a better job warning you, so I am slightly at fault as well."

"Xaira-"

"Anyway," Xaira continued, "I plan to visit the Hot Spring in the future, so I suppose I should be thankful for you triggering that trap. Although you could have killed us all."

"Was that really necessary?" Riolu asked, glaring at Xaira.

"Completely," Xaira said with a chuckle. Riolu rolled his eyes.

"Let's go," he said "We need to get Wooper to the assembly."

"Let me see if I've got this all straight," Chatot said as soon as the duo arrived at the guild and reported their findings. "Behind the waterfall, there is a cave. In the deepest part, there is a gigantic gem. When you pushed it, it triggered a trap of some kind. And finally, you were flushed off to the distant Hot Spring? Is that the gist of your report?"

"Yes. It's really disappointing that we couldn't bring the gem back," Riolu said.

"No, no, no!" Chatot exclaimed, "Emphatically, no! This is a major discovery!"

"Seriously?!" Riolu asked, lighting up.

"Undoubtedly!" Chatot replied with a smile. "After all, no one knew about the presence of the cave behind the waterfall before now!"

"Except maybe the Pokémon who lived there," Xaira muttered.

"Oh, I see! We made a discovery!" Riolu exclaimed happily. Xaira began to get lost in her own thoughts. The Pokémon in her visions looked so familiar. She was sure that she had seen them before.

"Your waterfall discovery is just amazing!" Chatot exclaimed. "The Guildmaster must be told!" Xaira's eyes widened. It suddenly hit her. The Pokémon from her visions was none other than Guildmaster Wigglytuff! She mentally slapped herself. How could she not recognize him? Xaira recalled what Wooper had said earlier that day. There had been another visitor to Waterfall Cave before. In addition to that, said visitor did not leave the cave in the normal way. An idea formed in Xaira's mind. It was a stretch, but it was still possible. She had a decision to make. Either risk embarrassment, or go insane from not knowing the truth. Xaira took a deep breath, making her decision. She cleared her throat.

"Huh? What is it, Xaira?" Riolu asked.

"I have a reason to believe that Wigglytuff has actually been to Waterfall Cave before," Xaira said.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"No, no, no! Emphatically, no!" Chatot exclaimed, "That's inconceivable! If that were so, the Guildmaster wouldn't have ordered you to investigate the place, right?"

"Can't you just ask him?" Xaira asked, "For my sanity's sake, please." Chatot sighed.

"Very well," he said, "I will confirm it with the Guildmaster." Turning around, he began to mumble to himself. "Why would they want to spoil their own discovery?" Chatot sighed once again. "These apprentices are yet another strange crew."

"Excuse me?" Xaira asked. Chatot quickly turned around, putting on his best false smile.

"Oh, nothing, nothing," he said quickly and chuckling nervously, "Nothing at all! Anyway, I will go confirm what you just told me with the Guildmaster. Please wait here." With that, he walked into Wigglytuff's room.

"Xaira?" Riolu said.

"Riolu?" Xaira replied.

"What makes you think that Wigglytuff had been to Waterfall Cave before?" Riolu asked, crossing his arms and tilting his head.

"It's a feeling I have," Xaira replied, "The Pokémon that I saw in my visions was Wigglytuff."

"Are you sure you just didn't see him visiting the cave after we found it?" he asked.

"I don't know," Xaira replied, "It's just-" Xaira was cut off when Chatot returned to the room with a stunned expression on his face.

"So, how did it go?" Riolu asked.

"Well," Chatot said, "When I asked the Guildmaster, he mulled over for a bit. And then he said…" Chatot cleared his throat and in a startling accurate imitation of Wigglytuff said "'Oh memories! Sweet memories! YOOM TAH!'" Xaira and Riolu exchanged confused glances. Chatot continued. "'Yes yes! When I think hard, maybe I did go there once!'" Chatot cleared his throat, returning to his normal voice. "And that's just what the Guildmaster said. To sum it up, it's just as Xaira suspected. He has indeed already been to Waterfall Cave."

"That's disappointing," Riolu said, looking down, "I wish Wigglytuff had told us right from the start."

"The Guildmaster can be rather, uh, erratic at times," Chatot explained, "Even I can't quite fathom what goes on in his head. Nethertheless, I shall expect your best effort tomorrow!" Riolu sighed.

That night, Xaira sat on her bed, hoping to get a decent night's sleep for once. She glanced over at Riolu, who was staring thoughtfully out the window.

"We went through a lot today," Riolu said with a sigh, "And then there was that huge letdown." Riolu turned around, suddenly grinning. "But you know what? This was incredibly fun for me! It made me realize that I made the right decision in joining the guild." Riolu paused for a moment, looking down at the stone that he wore around his neck. "Eventually, I'll solve the mystery of my Relic Fragment. That's my dream. If it ever came true, I'd surely faint from sheer happiness!" Riolu let out a short laugh. "But seriously, thanks."

"For what?" Xaira asked.

"I can explore because of you," Riolu explained, "I'm the biggest coward around, and even I managed to work up the courage to jump through that waterfall! And it's all because you were with me. Really. Thanks." Xara stared at the blue Pokémon, suddenly feeling slightly guilty about all the sarcastic and harsh comments. She quickly pushed the feelings away. Riolu seemed to think for a moment before speaking again. "Hey, Xaira, I was thinking…"

"About what?" Xaira asked.

"I've noticed something about those visions of yours," Riolu replied.

"What about them?" Xaira asked.

"Well," Riolu said, "You always seem to be touching something when they happen." Xaira thought back to every time she had a vision. Her eyes widened, realizing that Riolu was right. Every time a vision occurred, it was always after touching something.

"You're right!" Xaira exclaimed, "I'm just surprised I didn't notice before! You're definitely more observant than I thought!"

"One other thing," Riolu continued, looking very serious, "When we rescued Azurill, you saw the future. This time, you saw Wigglytuff going into the cave, right?" Xaira nodded. "So that means…"

"I had a vision of the past…" Xaira said, almost not believing it herself.

"So, Xaira," Riolu said, "When you touch something, you see its past or future." Xaira nodded.

"But that doesn't mean that I always get a vision every time I touch something," she said, "I would prefer it if my visions happened whenever I wanted."

Riolu suddenly grinned. "You know, his could be something totally incredible! You can use it in lots of ways!"

"I'm not going around telling other Pokémon their fortunes if that's what you mean," Xaira replied.

"I wouldn't expect you to do that," Riolu said, "Besides. Knowing you, you'd just fake a bad one just to see the look on their faces." Xaira smirked.

"Not a bad idea," she replied, "Mind if I use it?" That was when Xaira remembered something. "Oh! Did you notice something earlier when you were taking the Wonder Map out of the Treasure Bag?"

"No," Riolu replied, "What do you mean?"

"Check the bottom," Xaira said. Grabbing the Treasure Bag, Riolu rummaged through it. Eventually, he pulled out a handful of colorful gems. His jaw dropped.

"When did you-"

"While you were busy trying to pull out that huge gem," Xaira interrupted, "I dug up some loose ones."

"Why didn't you mention this before?" Riolu asked.

"I didn't feel the need to until now," Xaira replied, "Besides, if I had said anything in front of Chatot, he probably would have taken some of them away." Suddenly, Xaira felt the atmosphere change slightly.

Someone cleared their throat. Xaira and Riolu quickly faced the entrance of their room. Standing there was a very tired and annoyed looking Chatot. Xaira swallowed, hoping that Chatot hadn't been standing there too long. If there was one thing she would rather not have him know, it was about her visions. She would probably have to work double time if he knew. Or worse, standing around predicting the outcome of the other apprentices' explorations.

"The Guildmaster wants to see you right away," Chatot said. Exchanging confused glances, Riolu and Xaira followed Chatot down the hall and into Wigglytuff's room. Wigglytuff stood in the center of the room, facing away from them. Chatot cleared his throat.

"Guildmaster, I brought you Team Vatonage," he said. Wigglytuff didn't reply. Chatot shifted his feet. "Guildmaster?" After a few moments, Wigglytuff suddenly spun around, causing Riolu to jump.

"Hiya!" Wigglytuff greeted, "Your team went through a lot today! Yes, a lot-lot!" He paused for a moment. "I should tell you why I called you here. We're planning to mount a full expedition soon!"

"An expedition?" Riolu repeated.

"Correct," Chatot replied, "The guild will go explore someplace far away. We will carefully choose which guild members get to go." Now Xaira was interested. This expedition could be very beneficial to her. After all, nothing around Treasure Town was going to help jog her memory any time soon. She knew her chances were slim, but it would be harmless to try.

"Usually, we would never, ever consider rookies to be expedition members," Wigglytuff said, "But you two are working so very hard! That's why we're making a special exception this time! We decided to include you in the list of candidates for the expedition!"

"R-really?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"You haven't been chosen as expedition members yet," Chatot snapped. "There is still time before we set out on the expedition. If you fail to do good work before then, you cannot expect to be selected."

"I'm sure you two can do it!" Wigglytuff said, "Try hard!"

"Can you believe it?" Riolu chattered excited excitedly as he and Xaira walked back to their room, "An expedition!"

"Someone's excited," Xaira commented.

"Of course I am!" Riolu exclaimed, " I don't know why you're not!"

"Actually, I am as well," Xaira said, "This expedition could be the best thing to happen right now."

"How so?" Riolu asked.

"For you," Xaira said, "This is an even bigger opportunity to be like a real explorer than Waterfall Cave."

"And for you?" Riolu asked.

"A possibility that I might find a clue about my past," Xaira said, "Or to find some sort of information about that ability I have. The chances are slim, but it's better than sticking around here hoping something will happen."

"In that case," Riolu said, "We'll have to work extra hard to get selected to go on the expedition."

"I suppose that means doubling the workload and taking on much harder jobs," Xaira replied, "We should get to sleep early. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

* * *

 _ **By the way, I made a reference to my most hated waterfall puzzle. Can you spot it? It probably isn't the most obvious one. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please notify me of any typos.**_


	6. Team Skull

_**Alright, I had to split this chapter in half. It was getting far too long. Anyway, I recently found out that the new villainous team's name is Team Skull. If there isn't a triple battle against a Skuntank, Koffing, and Zubat, I'll be very disappointed. Also, I edited the previous chapter quite a bit and changed some dialogue a few days ago, so check that out if you want to.**_

* * *

"As I was explaining…" Chatot said the next morning, "there is a lake far to the east. There are many aspects of that lake that remain mysterious. We hope to unravel those mysteries. To do this, our guild is planning to mount an expedition for the first time in a while." The Pokémon began to whisper amongst themselves.

"That means you're going to be picking members for the expedition from ALL of us again, right?" Loudred asked above the chatter.

"Precisely!" Chatot replied, "We will depart in several days. Over these next few days, we will choose the worthiest apprentices to participate in the expedition. So with that in mind, I expect all of you to work hard so that you may be chosen!" Chatot took a moment to pause. "All right, everyone. It's back to work as usual." With that, the apprentices set off to do their duties.

"Let's try to do as many jobs as we can," Riolu said as he and Xaira walked to the upper underground floor, "If we do a lot of jobs they'll have to pick us for the expedition party!" Xaira sighed.

"I suppose that means retrieving items and escorting Pokémon through dungeons," she said, "I'll try to grin and bear it."

"That's the spirit!" Riolu chirped happily. Once the duo was a few feet away from the Job Bulletin Board, Riolu froze. Hovering in front of it was a Koffing and a Zubat. Riolu grit his teeth. Riolu glanced at Xaira, who was staring at the same Pokémon. Her face was completely neutral.

"Those Pokémon…" Xaira muttered.

"They're those two crooks who stole my Relic Fragment!" Riolu whispered. Riolu quickly ran up to the duo, Xaira following close behind. Koffing and Zubat turned to face them.

"Hey!" Koffing exclaimed.

"You two?!" Zubat asked, incredulous.

"What are you two doing here?" Riolu demanded.

"Whoa-ho-ho!" Koffing laughed, "I'll have you know that we're an exploration team!"

"Heh-heh-heh." Zubat chuckled, "What's so funny about an exploration team checking out the Job Bulletin Board?"

"You're an exploration team?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"I'm in shock," Xaira said, her expression unchanging.

"That's right," Koffing said, "We may not exactly operate by the book, but we are still an official exploration team."

"Good for you," Xaira replied curtly.

"It really is a surprise to see you," Koffing went on, "Why would you be here?"

"We wanted to become exploration team members, "Riolu said, looking down and taking a few steps back, "So we're training at this guild."

"He wanted to be in an exploration team," Xaira said, "I have other reasons." Xaira noticed a disappointed look on Riolu's face. "Although, this exploration team thing isn't that bad. I just might stick with it for a while." Riolu smiled slightly.

"You want to become a real-deal exploration team member?!" Zubat exclaimed.

"That's what he said," Xaira replied, "Now get your job and get lost."

"Come with us for a second." Kofffing said ignoring her and pushing Riolu closer to Job Bulletin Board. Xaira shifted. The hostility in the air made her slightly uncomfortable.

"Wh-what is it?" Riolu stuttered. Xaira watched the trio closely. Riolu would have to learn to fight his own battles. However, Xaira was ready to step in if need be.

"Listen, kid. You should just forget about being on an exploration team," Koffing said. Riolu gulped.

"Why should I?" Riolu demanded.

"Well, you're timid," Zubat said, "A coward like you can't cut it on an exploration team."

"It-it's true that I'm timid…" Riolu trailed off for a moment before looking Koffing in the eye. "But that's why I'm in training! So I can overcome it and be brave!" He walked back to Xaira. "Even now, I'm working hard to be picked for the guild's expedition!"

"Oh, an expedition you say?" Koffing asked. Xaira stared at the violet Pokémon. She could tell he was planning something. Zubat chuckled.

"Well, effort only gets you so far in life," he said, "You won't get picked for the expedition party if you don't have talent, right? It all comes down to talent!"

"That's some pretty big talk coming from you!" Riolu exclaimed, stepping closer to Zubat. "You sure talk a lot about talent, but what talent do you have? You're so weak, you even lost to us before we even started training here!" Xaira watched, her expression unchanging.

"Well, that was because we didn't have the Chief with us." Koffing replied. Riolu felt his bravado fade away.

"Ch-Chief?" he stuttered.

"That's right." Zubat said, "the Chief."

"Team Skull is made up of three members." Koffing said

"Our Chief is incredibly talented." Zubat added, "Unlike you two."

"To put it bluntly, he's brutally tough." Koffing said.

"The Chief would snap you like a twig." Zubat said, "You wouldn't last half a second."

"Speaking of the Chief, I can smell him coming now!" Koffing said.

"Smell?" Riolu repeated. That was when Xaira noticed a repulsive scent drifting through the air. She glanced to her side and saw a Skuntank climbing down the ladder. Quickly becoming uninterested in the new Pokémon's presence, Xaira turned back to Riolu, who was shaking in fear. The large violet and white Pokémon stopped walking when he noticed Xaira. He scowled.

"Out of the way!" he exclaimed.

"There is enough room," Xaira replied, not even bothering to look at him, "Feel free to walk around me." Outraged, Skuntank knocked Xaira aside, and at the same time, unleashed a foul smelling odor that spread through the guild.

"Xaira!" Riolu cried in alarm. Skuntank proceeded to walk over to Riolu.

"Move it!" he ordered, "Do you want to end up like that wimp over there?!" he nodded towards Xaira. Riolu gulped, shaking his head and standing aside. He glanced at Xaira, who was slowly standing up and trying to maintain her dignity. Riolu immediately felt guilty.

"Chief!" Koffing greeted.

"You sure showed them, Chief!" Zubat said with a chuckle, "You're the best!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Skuntank snapped, "Did you sniff out any jobs that'll bring in the cash?"

"The Job Bulletin Board only posted cheap tasks, but…" Koffing began.

"There's something else, Chief," Zubat said, "It's got the potential to go big…" He muttered something that Riolu couldn't hear.

"That does sound tasty." Skuntank said with a chuckle, "Let's get out of here." Zubat and Koffing nodded. It was then that they noticed that everyone in the room was staring directly at them.

"What are you all staring at?" Koffing snapped, "This isn't a public performance!" With that, all the Pokémon looked away, and Team Skull left the building.

"Are you all right, Xaira?" Riolu asked once they left.

"I'm fine," Xaira replied, "Nothing but my dignity has been damaged."

"That's a relief," Riolu said with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't stand up to him. Even after what he did to you." Tears began to form in Riolu's eyes, "They're right, I really am a wimp."

"You can say that again," Xaira said. Riolu quickly looked at her. "Seriously. Did you see yourself fighting Drowzee?" Xaira shook her head putting on a fake look of disappointment, "I don't think I've ever seen a Pokémon go down so easily. It's sad really. Tragic." Chuckling, Riolu wiped away his tears.

"You're horrible," he said. Xaira smiled slightly.

"I try," she said, "Anyway, let's take a look at those jobs. We have an expedition team to get on!" Riolu nodded, still looking down. Xaira sighed, trying to think of something else to say. "Riolu, fear is a natural instinct. It means that you're intelligent enough to recognize danger. Just because you are afraid does not mean that you aren't brave." Xaira paused for a moment before continuing. "So stop feeling sorry for yourself. It's useless."

"You know," Riolu said, "For a moment there, you were almost kind of nice."

"Well, don't get used to it." Xaira retorted.

Riolu just chuckled. After gathering a few jobs, the duo set off to the crossroads.

"Do you think that we should bring Wooper with us?" Riolu asked.

"I don't see why not," Xaira replied.

"I do feel sorry for him, though," Riolu said, "According to the guild, he's not an official member of the Team Vatonage."

"He doesn't have to put up with the random guild work that we have to do sometimes," Xaira pointed out.

"True," Riolu said. At the cross roads, the duo was greeted by a Wobbuffet and a Wynaut.

"Oh! A customer, is it not?" the Wynaut asked, "Good day, is it not? The new shop, Spinda's Café, is now open, is it not?"

"I don't know," Xaira replied, "You tell me."

"Hopes and dreams?" Riolu asked.

"That's right!" the Wobbuffet replied.

"Why not come on in?" the Wynaut said, "Don't be shy!" Xaira blinked. These Pokémon made her rather uncomfortable.

"Please, Xaira?" Riolu asked, "You said that we could possibly check it out once it was opened."

"Well," Xaira began. Riolu looked at her with pleading eyes. Xaira sighed. "I see no harm in it."

"We have two guests!" Wynaut announced.

"Whoa! This place is pretty big!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Indeed," Xaira replied looking around. Tables were spread out in the large room. Towards the back were two booths. One was decorated with jars that held different kinds of liquid. The other had shelves in the back displaying several different items. Standing near them was a tan Pokémon with red spots.

"Hello!" he greeted. The Pokémon proceeded to make his way over to Xaira and Riolu, stumbling along the way. "Welcome to Spinda's café and Recycle Shop! My name is Spinda, the owner. This café is for explorers who wish to refresh themselves with a hearty delicious drink after exploring."

"A café for explorers?" Riolu asked.

"Today is our grand opening!" Spinda exclaimed, "So relax, and I, Spinda, will take your use my incredible skills to create a delectable drink for you. For free! Provided that you have the proper ingredients, of course."

"Really?" Riolu asked.

"Of course!" Spinda replied, "Feel free to use and ingredient you want! In addition, you can use the recycle shop. You see, every day, perfectly good items are thrown out." Suddenly, Spinda threw his hands in the air and spoke in an overly dramatic voice. "Doesn't that seem wasteful? There could be explorers in dungeons out there who are desperately in need of those very things! Just think about it! You throw out an Escape Orb, but somewhere out there, there is a poor Pokémon wandering through a dungeon with no way of escaping! Now he is lost forever! And it's all your fault! How do you live with yourself?"

"Let's get out of here," Xaira whispered to Riolu, "There is something wrong with these Pokémon."

"That's why we established this facility!" Spinda said, snapping back to his previous cheerful demeanor, "One Pokémon's trash is another Pokémon's treasure, am I right?" Xaira blinked.

"Right," she said flatly, "We must be going now."

""Wait!" Riolu cried, "Can't we get one drink? We have a few extra Apples and Oran Berries. We could even use those leftover Plain Seeds. Please?" Xaira sighed.

"How about after we're done with today's missions?" Xaira suggested, "We need to get these jobs done as quickly as possible."

"Alright," Riolu said, "That sounds fair enough!"

"Seriously, though," Xaira said once they were outside, "There was something off about those Pokémon."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Riolu said, "They seemed nice enough."

"Just know that if you start acting like them," Xaira replied, "I don't know you." The dou the set off to do their jobs.

"Admit it, Xaira," Riolu said later that night, as he and Xaira got ready for bed, "The drinks were delicious."

"I never said they weren't," Xaira replied, "However if you ask me, that Spinda has been drinking something made of X-Eye and Totter Seeds." Riolu held back a chuckle.

"Xaira," he said, "That's mean."

"You were thinking the same thing," Xaira replied, "Don't try to deny it."

"I sure hope I don't start thinking like you," Riolu replied.

"What's that's supposed to mean?" Xaira asked.

"Your threats to that criminal today were rather…vivid," Riolu replied, "And if that wasn't disturbing enough, you talked like you were discussing the weather!"

"It wasn't as bad as what I was originally thinking," Xaira said, "And besides, I was just bluffing…For the most part." Riolu sighed.

"You scare me sometimes," he said.

"That's what makes it so fun," Xaira replied, "Anyway, did you see the look on that criminals face when we tricked him into that corner? That was priceless!" She chuckled at the thought.

"He certainly was overconfident, wasn't he?" Riolu asked, joining in on the laughter.

"Anyway," Xaria said, "I've been thinking. About bout my visions."

"What is it Xaira?" Riolu asked.

"I want to gain control of them," Xaira said, "From now on, we should get something from each dungeon we visit, such as a stone or a leaf. If I can control my visions, there is a slight chance that I can see my own past."

"If you can see your own past or future," Riolu said, "But still, your plan makes sense. I'll help anyway I can."

"Thanks," Xaira said, "It's nice to know that there's someone I can trust around here." Riolu smiled.

"The Pokémon here don't exactly seem untrustworthy," Riolu replied.

"You may be right," Xaira said with a sigh, "But that doesn't mean that I'm going to tell them anything. To be quite frank, my visons and problems are none of their business."

"It's getting late," Riolu said after a few moments, "We need to get to sleep early. Good night."

"Night," Xaira replied before settling down to sleep.

"Everyone!" Chatot called the nest day after the morning cheers, "I have an announcement before we get down to work." Murmurs filled the room. Chatot cleared his throat, signaling everyone to be silent. "Let me introduce our new allies!" he announced. No sooner than he had said this, a foul stench filled the room, much to the disgust of the apprentices. Three Pokémon climbed down the ladder. Xaira grit her teeth. They were the same Pokémon from the day before.

"It-it's them!" Riolu whispered, "What are they doing here?"

"Nothing good," Xaira replied.

"These three are our new partners." Chatot stated.

"I'm Koffing." Koffing said with a grin.

"Zubat here. Glad to meet you." Zubat said.

"And I'm I'm Skuntank," Skuntank said, "Team Skull's leader. Remember it." He glanced at Xaira and Riolu. "Especially you two."

"How could we possibly forget?" Xaira asked in a deadpan tone.

"So, you're already acquainted?" Chatot asked cheerfully, "That simplifies things. These three will be joining our expedition to lend us their assistance."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed rather loudly.

"Why are you so shocked?" Chatot asked.

"It's nothing, really," Skuntank said quickly, "That one always overreacts to every little thing."

"He's not wrong, you know," Xaira whispered.

"Hey!" Riolu cried. Chatot glanced between Skuntank and Riolu before shrugging.

"Anyway, the Guildmaster has made his decision," he stated, "Also seeing as it would be impossible to coordinate teamwork if we were to begin working together right away, Team Skull will live with us until the expedition begins. I ask that everyone treat our guests with hospitality." Disappointed whispers filled the room.

"This is suspicious," Riolu stated.

"Agreed," Xaira replied.

"All right, everyone. Let's get down to work!" Chatot chirped.

"Hooray," the apprentices said flatly.

"What's this?" Chatot asked, "Where's your usual spirit?"

"You gotta be KIDDING!" Loudred exclaimed, "This STINKS! How do you expect us to be cheerful when-" A low rumbling noise cut him off. The ground was shaking slightly.

"What's going on?!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira glanced around the room until she noticed Wigglytuff, who was hunched over and shaking.

"The Guildmaster's rage is building!" Chatot shouted, "If the Guildmaster gets angry, it will be horrific! Everyone! Come on! Be cheerful, even if it hurts!"

"HOORAY!" The apprentices halfheartedly shouted before rushing off to do their duties. As they did so, the rumbling stopped.

"What was that?" Xaira asked as she and Riolu walked over to the Job Bulletin Board.

"I have no idea," Riolu replied, "But I definitely don't want to find out."

"If it isn't the wimps," A voice spoke.

"You're going to have to come up with a better insult than that to even annoy me," Xaira said not even looking in the direction of the voice. Skuntank, Zubat, and Koffing stepped in front of her and Riolu. Riolu gulped, taking a few steps back.

"That's no way to treat a guest," Skuntank said, "And here I was, about to thank you for your hospitality."

"This is quite the ruse you're pulling here," Xaira commented, "Trying to rob us of whatever treasure we find on our expedition? If we had not met before, I would never have guessed."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Skuntank said with a false smile, 'I assure you that our intentions are completely noble."

"Your acting skills need work," Xaira replied, walking around the trio, Riolu following closely behind her, "Your eyes are much too shifty."

"What was that about?" Riolu asked as Xaira selected a few jobs.

"Nothing," she replied, "Nothing at all."

That evening, much to Xaira's annoyance, Team Skull decided to sit near her and Riolu during dinner. The trio would often swipe food from her and Riolu's plates and take whatever they reached for. Xaira, however, got the last laugh that evening when she "accidentally" let an Oren Berry from the Treasure bag fall on to the table. She proceeded to scold Skuntank for eating without thinking as he angrily grumbled. Much to her surprise, Skuntank didn't say a word to Chatot about it, instead, thanking him for the meal.

"You shouldn't have done that," Riolu warned when he and Xaira reached their room, "That was risky."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Xaira said as she plopped down on her bed.

"I'm serious, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed, "Why did you have to provoke them? They could have told Chatot and had us off the expedition."

"It was just a little warning," Xaira replied, "We can't have them thinking that they run the place. They had it coming anyway." Riolu sighed.

"Revenge doesn't solve anything," Riolu stated.

"That may be so," Xaira replied, "But I feel a lot better."

"You won't feel better when they decide to take revenge on us," Riolu warned.

'What am I supposed to do?" Xaira asked, "Apologize?"

"Just don't do something like that ever again," Riolu said with a sigh.

"I can't promise that I won't ever again," Xaira said, "But if it makes you feel better, I'll try not to retaliate when it is completely unnecessary."

"That absolutely does not make me feel any better," Riolu replied, "What exactly is your definition of completely unnecessary?"

"Don't worry about it," Xaira replied, "Let's just get to sleep."

"I have a feeling that it will be a long day tomorrow," Riolu muttered.

The next morning, the morning cheers went on as usual.

"What kind of jobs should we do today?" Xaira asked. Before Riolu could answer, Chatot called them.

"What is it, Chatot?" Riolu asked, gulping nervously, worried that Chatot knew about the Oren Berry.

"I have a somewhat different task for you today," Chatot replied, "We need you to obtain stock to replenish the larder."

"You need us to go get food?" Riolu asked, doing his best not to sigh in relief. Chatot nodded.

"When we inspected the larder this morning, we noticed guild's food stock has dropped sharply all of a sudden," he said.

"That's to be expected," Xaira replied, "We had three extra Pokémon over for dinner last night." Chatot gave her a questioning glance.

"As I was saying," he continued, "We are running low on food. However, only one item was completely cleaned out. While obtaining the food, you need to focus on gathering Perfect Apples."

"Perfect Apples?" Riolu asked, "What are those?"

"They're very big and very delicious Apples," Chatot explained, "But more than that, they are the Guildmaster's favorite food! If there were no Perfect Apples, the Guildmaster would…" Chatot trailed off, shuddering.

"Go on," Riolu said, concerned, "If there were no Perfect Apples, what would happen to Wigglytuff?" Chatot mumbled to himself for a bit.

"Yes that's what would happen," he said, finally speaking up, "That's why I'm begging you two to get some Perfect Apples."

"What?" Riolu asked, "I didn't hear a thing! It'll drive me nuts, not knowing!" Chatot shook his head, not answering. Riolu sighed. "Alright. We'll go get some. You can count on us!"

"Good!" Chatot said with a smile, "Perfect Apples can be found deep in Apple Woods. Now, listen, this may seem like a simple errand, but it's a crucial job. So please don't fail!"

"Understood!" Riolu replied with a nod, "Let's give it our best, Xaira!" With that, the two set off for Apple Woods. Eventually, Riolu and Xaira reached a forest that seemed to contain nothing but apple trees.

"This is the way into Apple Woods," Riolu said, glancing around, "The Perfect Apples are it the deepest part. Let's go." As the two headed into the woods, Xaira couldn't shake the feeling that they were being followed.

Apple Woods had its fair share of difficulties. There were several Pokémon living there that were capable of inflicting the Poison status. As the two made their way through the woods, they made sure to harvest several apples and berries for the guild. Eventually, they arrived at an open area with a rather large tree.

"This is the deepest point in Apple Woods," Riolu said as he glanced around, 'But where are the Perfect Apples?"

"My guess would be up there," Xaira replied, gesturing to the large tree, "Although, it doesn't look like there are many up there, and oddly, there are none on the ground."

"Alright, then, Riolu said, "How are we supposed to get them?"

"Easily done!" a voice called.

"Who said that?" Riolu asked nervously, glancing around. Suddenly, Skuntank and his friends dropped from the tree. "What?! You!"

"Team Skull at your service!" Skuntank said with a mocking bow

"Hey it's wimpy and company," Zubat said.

"We were having us a lovely picnic of Perfect Apples while waiting for you to show," Koffing said with a burp, "What took you so long?"

"They may have eaten a lot of the Perfect Apples, Xaira," Riolu said, "But there are still a few left. Let's knock them out and get the Perfect Apples."

"Knock us out?" Skuntank asked, feigning hurt, "That's very rude of you! Why, I was even going to offer my help."

"Yeah right," Xaira muttered.

"You were wondering how you could get the Perfect Apples?" Skuntank asked, "Nothing could be easier. Watch." Skuntank walked over to the side of the tree and struck it, causing several apples to fall to the ground.

"Oh! Some Perfect Apples!" Riolu almost rushed forward to grab them, but Xaira stuck her paw out, signaling him to stop. Riolu gave her a confused glance before understanding the situation.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Skuntank asked. Neither Xaira nor Riolu made a move to grab the apples. "Aren't you going to pick them up? And after I was so nice and helped you out!"

"How dumb do you think we are?" Xaira asked.

"You're going to do a dirty trick, aren't you?" Riolu asked. Team skull just stared at them, shocked

"Color me surprised!" Zubat exclaimed, "They didn't fall for it at all!"

"How boring is that?" Koffing muttered.

"I knew it!" Riolu exclaimed.

"It's a little disappointing you didn't fall for our act," Skuntank said, "But so what? What are you going to do about it?"

"Knock you out, take the apples, and report that you had an unfortunate accident?" Xaira replied.

"She's right!" Riolu exclaimed, "We can most definitely take you on!"

"Well now. Aren't we feeling peppy today!" Skuntank said with a laugh, "When we first met, you were shaking like a leaf!" Riolu flinched. Swallowing, he spoke up.

"It's true," he said, "That time, I did back down. Even now I'm a little scared…" He looked up at Skuntank with a fire in his eyes. "But I won't ever back down again!" Skuntank replied with a chuckle.

"So be it," he said, "As a special reward for your courage, we'll take you on fair and square."

"W-watch out, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed, "They're going to try something!"

"Let's see if you can withstand this attack," Skuntank said as he stepped near Koffing, Koffing and I will use our…noxious gas combo!" Before Xaira and Riolu could react, Koffing and Skuntank unleashed a foul smelling gas, knocking Xaira and Riolu out cold.


	7. The Perfect Apple Incident

Slowly, Xaira opened her eyes. A foul stench lingered in the air.

"Are you alright, Xaira?" Riolu asked, standing up and walking over to her.

"Peachy," Xaira replied, standing up and looking around. Team Skull was nowhere in sight.

"We both got knocked out," Riolu said, "But, wow, that was an incredible stench."

"That's not our biggest problem," Xaira replied. "Look." She gestured to the Perfect Apple tree. All of the apples from earlier were missing. Riolu looked up. From what he saw, there was not a single apple in the tree.

"If they're all gone, there's nothing we can do," he said with a sigh. "Let's head back to the guild."

"You failed?!" Chatot exclaimed as soon as Riolu finished relaying the news. "Are you serious?" He began to panic.

"We couldn't help it," Riolu explained, "Skuntank and his-"

"Quiet!" Chatot scolded. "I don't want to hear any of your excuses!"

"Then listen to our explanation," Xaira replied.

"Silence!" Chatot snapped. "You leave me no choice. You'll go without dinner tonight!"

"What?" Riolu cried, "But-"

"I don't want to hear anything from you!" Chatot snapped, "Your punishment could be much more severe! I will report this to the Guildmaster after dinner, and you will come with me when I do so."

"But-" Riolu began.

"Hush!" Chatot exclaimed. "That's an order!" With that, Chatot hopped away.

"One of these days, Chatot…" Xaira muttered.

"Xaira-" Riolu began.

"You're right," Xaira interrupted, "I should be angrier at team Skull." Riolu shook his head.

"Don't start anything," he said, "Please." Xaira sighed.

"I can't promise anything," she replied, "But I'll try." That evening, at dinner, Xaira and Riolu were forced to watch as everyone else ate their dinner. Xaira groaned in annoyance. There were positioned a good distance from where the food was kept so that they didn't steal anything. To make matters worse, Chatot confiscated all the food that was being carried in the Treasure Bag so that they couldn't simply eat later. After dinner, Chatot led Riolu and Xaira to Wigglytuff's room.

"Hiya!" Wigglytuff greeted as soon as they entered, "You brought me some Perfect Apples, didn't you? Thank you!" Chatot gulped.

"Uh…There's uh, a slight…" he trailed off "It's awfully hard to say this, but…"

"Huh? What's wrong?" Wigglytuff asked.

"You see," Chatot continued, "truth be told…These apprentices…Well, they failed in their mission to bring back any Perfect Apples."

"Oh, is that all?" Wigglytuff asked, "I understand. It's alright. Nobody wins all the time. Don't feel blue, don't feel blue. Where are the other Perfect Apples?"

"As I'd explained…" Chatot replied, "Um…They failed to get them, so, uh…In other words, uh…the Perfect Apples…The number of Perfect Apples harvested…would be, uh…zero."

"Oh." Wigglytuff said simply.

"That means, Guildmaster…You will have to make de without Perfect Apples for a little bit," Chatot said, laughing nervously. Wigglytuff remained silent. "Um, Guildmaster? Guildmaster?" Suddenly, Wigglytuff began to sniffle.

"I think he's gonna cry!" Riolu whispered.

"You have got to be kidding me," Xaira said flatly. The room began to shake.

"Cover your ears!" Chatot cried suddenly.

"Wh-why?!" Riolu stuttered. The room began to shake even more.

"Don't argue!" Chatot shouted, "Do it now!" Xaira and Riolu obeyed orders. However, even with their ears covered, they couldn't block out the piercing noise that suddenly swept through the room.

"Sorry to disturb you!" a voice called, "We've come to deliver a Perfect Apple!" At the mention of a Perfect Apple, the piercing noise stopped and Wigglytuff looked up. Xaira and Riolu glanced behind them and watched as Skuntank and his underlings entered the room. Shoving Riolu and Xaira aside, Skuntank approached Wigglytuff and dropped a bag on the ground, causing its contents to spill. "Here you go. A bag of genuine Perfect Apples. Please accept it as our token of friendship." Riolu's jaw dropped.

"What?!"

"Oh wow!" Wigglytuff exclaimed, "You went and got these just for me?! Yay! Thank you!" Chatot smiled, although it was obvious that he was still shaken up from before.

"Th-thank you so very, very kindly!" Chatot said, "Thanks to you, we've all been spared a catastrophe!"

Xaira scoffed.

"You two!" Chatot shouted, glaring at Xaira and Riolu, "Show some respect and appreciation!" Riolu grit his teeth, however Xaira put on a somewhat unnerving smile.

"Thank you," she said in a falsely sweet voice, "You really helped us, and I intend to pay you back in full." Skuntank gave his own false smile.

"It's quite alright," he said, "After all, you and your guild have been very generous and hospitable to us. It is we who must repay you."

"But I insist," Xaira said, "I will think long and hard on how I will repay you for this."

"No no," Skuntank replied, somewhat visibly frustrated, "I already said that won't be necessary. Your hospitality is thanks enough." Koffing and Zubat nodded in agreement. Riolu glanced back and forth between the Pokémon, worrying that a fight may break out. Chatot however, had no such ideas.

"You are the most admirable of Pokémon," he chirped, "Embarking on the expedition with Pokémon as noble as you would be truly inspiring!"

"You will be the ones who inspire us," Skuntank replied, "It's late now, so we'll be off to bed. Good night, all of you." The then left the room, "accidentally" bumping into Xaira on the way.

"Thank you!" Wigglytuff called "Good night! Friends! Friends!" Chatot began to speak, however Xaira didn't hear a word of it as a dizzy feeling swept over her.

( _Now of all times?)_ was her last thought as her vision faded to black.

 _Skuntank, Koffing, and Zubat stood in a grassy area with several waterfalls crashing down. In front of them was Wigglytuff, completely oblivious to their menacing stares. Skuntank chuckled._

 _"_ _No hard feelings. But the great, famous explorer Wigglytuff Is finished!"_

"Are you even paying attention?" Xaira blinked, looking up. Chatot was glaring quite angrily at her. Xaira took a deep breath.

"Yes," she replied, her voice strained, "I am." Chatot stared at her for a moment.

"Very well then," he said, "It's off to bed with the both of you." Xaira opened her mouth to protest. "No arguments! Shoo!"

"Skuntank and his sidekicks really stuck it to us again," Riolu said as he sat on his bed. "And on top of that, we didn't get to eat dinner." He sighed, "I'm starving." Xaira stood up.

"Where are you going?" Riolu asked.

"I'm going to see if I can sneak some food out of the dining hall," Xaira replied, "I'm not going to stand around while-"

"Xaira," Riolu said, "Don't. I don't want you to get into any more trouble." Xaira stared at him, confused.

"Aren't you hungry?" She asked.

"We'll, yes, but-"

"Alright then. Wait here while I go grab some food. Our welfare is more important than some silly rule."

"Please," Riolu said. Xaira stared at the blue Pokémon for a few moments.

"Fine," she said, "I don't understand it, but if that's really what you want, I won't do anything. I'll just have to find something tomorrow." She paused for a moment. "I don't really need dinner anyway. One night without food isn't going to kill me."

"Xaira, you don't have to act so-"

"I had another vision," Xaira interrupted in hopes of changing the subject.

"Is that why you spaced out earlier?" Riolu asked. Xaira nodded.

"Wigglytuff was being threatened by Skuntank," she said, "They were in an area with a lot of waterfalls. It's still kind of fuzzy."

"We have to warn them!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Why should we?" Xaira asked, "It's painfully obvious that Team Skull is planning something, and if Wigglytuff and Chatot can't see through it-"

"It's the right thing to do," Riolu said. Xaira sighed.

"Fine," she said, "Tomorrow, we warn Wigglytuff."

"What about Chatot?" Riolu asked. Xaira shook her head.

"He won't listen to us," Xaira replied, "Even if he did, he holds Team Skull in too high of a regard to believe us. If he's going to learn Skuntank's true nature, it'll have to be the hard way." Riolu crossed his arms.

"That's kind of harsh," he said.

"That's how it has to be sometimes," Xaira replied. "Anyway, the hard part will be trying to convince Chatot to allow us to speak with Wigglytuff or find a way to sneak past him."

"That won't be easy," Riolu stated. "He stands in front of that door all day."

"I'll try and think of something," Xaira said. "Right now, its best that we get some rest."

The next morning, Xaira and Riolu were hungrier than before and could barely concentrate on the morning announcements.

"One last item," Chatot said, "In a few days, we plan to announce the members of the expedition party." The room was filled with excited whispers filled the room. "Remember, this is your last chance to make an impression. All, right everyone. Let's get to work as usual."

"I'm so hungry, Xaira." Riolu muttered.

"I know," Xaira replied, "but we have more important things to worry about."

"Right," Riolu said with a nod. The two approached Chatot.

"Excuse me, Chatot," Xaira said as politely as possible for her, "Riolu and I would like to speak with the Guildmaster."

"And why is that?" Chatot asked, still clearly annoyed at the events of the day before.

"We just wanted to offer our sincerest apologies for-"

"I'll inform the Guildmaster," Chatot interrupted, "Just work on some jobs, and try not to fail at these ones." Xaira held back her temper.

"I think the apology will be more meaningful in person," Xaira stated as calmly as she could manage.

"I said that I will take care of it. You two have work to do," Chatot replied. He turned and began to hop off, but stopped. "Another thing, you should give up on being chosen as expedition members."

"Huh?! Why?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Your failure yesterday weighs heavily," Chatot replied, turning to face them. "As you know, it is difficult to tell what our Guildmaster is thinking from his demeanor, but there's no doubt that he must be seething with anger inside. So when the time comes to announce the members, don't get your hopes up. Now if you will excuse me, I'll relay your message to the Guildmaster now." With that, Chatot hopped off. Riolu sighed.

"I was already weak from hunger," he muttered, tears in his eyes, "To be told something like that…" Xaira stared at him for a few moments. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a sudden noise.

"Psst! Listen up!"

"Who said that?" Riolu asked, looking around.

"Shhh! Over here!" Xaira and Riolu looked in the direction of the dining hall. Standing near where Croagunk and his cauldron were Bidoof, Sunflora, and Chimecho.

"Oh!" Riolu exclaimed, "Hey guys!"

"Shhh! By golly, not so loud!" Bidoof whispered as he and the others walked up to the duo. "Come this way!" Riolu and Xaira followed the three other apprentices into their room. Biddof glanced over his shoulder before sitting down near the entrance. "Whew! No one saw anything, except maybe Croagunk."

"What's up?" Riolu asked as he sat down near his bed, "Why'd you call us in here?"

"This is why." Sunflora said as she placed several items of food in front of Riolu and Xaira.

"Food!" Riolu happily exclaimed. Xaira glanced at the three Pokémon, touched but confused.

"But, why?" she asked.

"You must be very hungry." Chimecho said with her usual gentle smile.

"We all set aside a little bit of our dinners last night for you," Bidoof explained.

"But that doesn't explain-" Xaira began.

"Now don't you worry about that! Eat up!" Sunflora interrupted. Deciding that it would be best to ask questions after eating, Xaira scarfed down her food. Riolu did the same.

"Wow thanks!" Riolu exclaimed as he swallowed the last bit of food, "I'm revitalized!"

"Thank you," Xaira said, "I don't understand why you would do something like this for us, but I am very grateful."

"We can all use help when we're down." Sunflora said, giving Xaira a sympathetic glance. Bidoof nodded.

"Every one of us needs to be able to work hard to be picked for the expedition. Yup yup!" he said.

"Thanks everyone," Riolu said as tears formed in his eyes, "But about the expedition, Chatot just came and told us...We're probably not going to get picked."

"How could you say that?!" Bidoof exclaimed, "There's no telling what might happen! No sirree!"

"The members haven't been picked yet!" Sunflora added, "There's still time to turn things around!" Riolu sniffed.

"Thanks for trying to cheer us up, but…" Riolu sighed, "Doesn't everybody want to go on the expedition? What if we get picked to go? If that happens, someone here might not get to go. Would you all be OK with that?" Xaira tilted her head. She wondered why that seemed to concern Riolu so much.

"No, I wouldn't like that…" Sunflora muttered.

"But of course, if someone is chosen," Chimecho said, "Then someone else can't go. That's just the way it is!"

"If you don't get picked for the expedition, you should cheer for those who did." Sunflora added.

"Yup, yup!" Bidoof agreed, "And everyone wants to go on the expedition with you, Riolu and Xaira."

"You know," Xaira said, "If you give up now, Riolu, you've already lost. Who cares what Chatot says? It's up to you to decide whether you want to give your all and attempt to change the situation you're in or to sit back and settle with what you've got. If you ask me, giving up is not an option. So stop moping and show some initiative!" Riolu smiled.

"Everyone, honestly, thank you." he said, wiping away his tears. "Alright then! Xaira, let's keep trying our best to get picked for the expedition. We'll keep on trying to the end!"

"Yup, yup! That's the spirit!" Bidoof cheered.

"Yes! Let's all do our best!" Chimecho agreed.

"We've got to try hard so we all can go!" Sunflora added.

"Alright," Xaira said as she and Riolu walked outside the guild, "I have a new plan. We need to get picked for the expedition. That way, we can keep an eye on Team Skull and stop them when they try anything."

"And if we don't get picked?" Riolu asked.

"We could always stir up suspicion towards Team Skull before the expedition," Xaira replied, "That way, in the event we don't get picked, those who did will watch them carefully, giving them little opportunity to try something. If we are lucky, we may have a chance to warn Wigglytuff after all."

"Are you sure that will work?" Riolu asked. Xaira shrugged.

"It's the best plan I have," Xaira replied, "It better work."

"That doesn't make me feel any better," Riolu replied. Before Xaira could say anything else, she noticed a Mr. Mime standing in front the café entrance. Riolu noticed her staring, and looked in the same direction.

"Hey!" Riolu called, walking over to the Mr. Mime, "What's up? Something to do with the café?" the Mr. Mime nodded.

"Yeah," he said, "It seems like there's some wonderful news for all the explorers." He proceeded to enter the café.

"Let's check it out, Xaira," Riolu said, "It could be important."

"I doubt it," Xaira replied, "but it wouldn't hurt to look." She and Riolu walked down the stairs and into the café.

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed as he looked around, "There's quite a crowd!" Xaira glanced around. It was true. There were far more Pokémon gathered there than usual, all talking amongst themselves. Spinda stood at the far side of the room alongside Wobbuffet and Wynaut. After a few moments, he cleared his throat.

"May I have everyone's attention, please!" Spinda called. "First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for taking time out of your busy schedules!" There was a moment of applause. "Now that that's out of the way, I would like to give you wonderful news of hopes and dreams. Thanks to your kind patronage, this café has been quite popular. And so, we would like to thank you for your kind patronage with a new service. We're calling it Project P! This project aims to use the items gathered at the Recycle Shop in order to explore unexplored places! Use recycled items to explore the world! So, everyone! Please keep recycling, more and more every day! Let's all work together and find unexplored areas!" The Pokémon in the room cheered.

"Wow! So cool!" Riolu exclaimed, "Let's recycle a bunch, OK?"

"If you want to recycle, you can," Xaira said, "Just use the ones that have no use whatsoever. I'd rather hold on to most of our items just in case they are needed. Anyway, let's get out of here. We have several jobs to do."

"Right," Riolu replied with a nod.

The next few days, Riolu and Xaira did as many jobs as they could. They would often make it back to the guild just before dinner due to how long they worked. Each night, she would attempt to trigger another vision. Unfortunately, each attempt ended in failure. As the days passed, Xaira noticed that Riolu grew more nervous in anticipation of the announcement of the expedition party members. It was about the third or fourth night when Chatot interrupted dinner, claiming he had a special announcement. Naturally, the apprentices were not thrilled.

"Seriously?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Well, spit it out already!" Loudred shouted, "I need to eat!"

"You prevent us from eating what's in front of us?" Dugtrio asked, "This is an outrage!"

"This is so unfair!" Sunflora cried, "I feel faint from hunger!" Chatot flapped his wings.

"Order!" he cried, "I must have order!" The angry Pokémon settled down a bit. "I'm sure the selection of the expedition members has been on everyone's minds. Our Guildmaster has apparently made his final decisions." The apprentices whispered amongst themselves, both excited and nervous for the next day. "The members will be announced at tomorrow morning's briefing. Now, sorry to have kept you waiting. Without further ado…On your marks…"

"LET'S EAT!" many of the apprentices shouted at once.

"They're finally going to announce the members of the expedition," Riolu said as he flopped back on his bed. He sighed. "I know Chatot said we don't have much of a chance. After all, we failed our mission to get those Perfect Apples."

"Riolu," Xaira began.

"But…" Riolu continued, "Even if we don't get picked, I don't regret a thing. We did the best that we could, and that's all that matters." He yawned. "We should get some sleep. Good night, Xaira." Xaira stared at Riolu as he drifted off to sleep.

"No regrets, huh?" she muttered, turning away, becoming lost in her own thoughts.

( _If we're not chosen for the exploration party, Riolu will be crushed. I really hope he is chosen. He's earned it. If we both get chosen for the expedition, that special ability I have may be useful then. Also, with any luck, we may find someone along the way that knows of it or how exactly it works. Not being able to see those visions when I want to is frustrating. Even better, I may find someone who knows of humans turning into Pokémon. This couldn't have been the first time something like this has happened. If I could just find out how it happened, I could find some way to reverse the process, and then…)_ Xaira sighed, feeling exhausted _._ ( _Thinking about everything too much will keep me from sleeping. I'd better go to sleep now too_.)

"Good night, Riolu," Xaira whispered, "I hope you get chosen tomorrow."

Far from the guild, in a dark cave, surrounded by pools of water, floated a Time Gear. A shadowy figure stepped towards it.

"There it is!" the figure exclaimed, "Another Time Gear! This is the second one… I need three more to be successful. I must have them."


	8. The Guild's Big Expedition

The next morning, Xaira had a hard time waking up. She had woken up in the middle of the night and had great difficulty falling back asleep. She was barely paying attention as Chatot announced the expedition members. She barely registered it when Loudred, Sunflora, Chimecho, and Corphish were picked. However, Chatot finally said something that caught her attention.

"Well this is a surprise!" Chatot exclaimed. Riolu nudged Xaira, grinning. She smiled back slightly and nodded. "Our next member is Bidoof!" Riolu's jaw dropped, a look of disappointment forming on his face.

"He did that on purpose," Xaira muttered.

"And there we have the expedition party members!" Chatot said. Xaira could hear Team Skull chuckling. She glanced at Riolu, who was holding back tears. Xaira swallowed, not knowing what to say. She glanced at Chatot, who was closely examining the piece of paper that he was holding, mumbling to himself. She didn't catch most of it, but she was sure it was something about Wigglytuff's handwriting.

"It appears that there are more expedition members," Chatot said as he looked up from the paper. "The others are…Diglett, Dugtrio, and Croagunk." He glanced at the paper once more. "Oh, and Riolu and Xaira. That is all." Riolu's face lit up. Chatot flapped his wings. "Wait a second! This list includes every member of the guild!"

"Yup!" Wigglytuff said with a nod, a large smile plastered on his face.

"But that means whole selection process was meaningless!" Chatot exclaimed, "We'll be leaving the guild completely empty!"

"It'll be fine." Wigglytuff assured him, "We'll lock up properly." Skuntank stepped forward.

"Guildmaster," he said, "I also have some misgivings. Do you think perhaps we may have too many members for an expedition?" Wigglytuff frowned.

"When a friend asks something like that, I have to wonder why," he said.

"Well," Skuntank said, trying to find the right words to use, "First of all, why does everyone have to go? Is there even a point in having everyone participate?" Wigglytuff grinned.

"Of course there's a point!" he answered, "If everyone went, it would be more fun!" Skuntank's mouth fell open.

"What?!" was all he could manage to say.

"We'll be noisy and excited and having fun!" Wigglytuff continued, completely oblivious to Skuntank's reaction, "I started thinking about it, and it made me so excited, I couldn't sleep!" Skuntank opened and closed his mouth, unable to form any words. "So that's how it is, everyone! We're all going on the expedition, and it will be fun, fun, fun! Let's all do our best!"

"See Skuntank?" Xaira spoke up, "There's nothing to worry about! In fact, I am very much looking forward to working with you!" Skuntank glared.

"What is with you?" Riolu whispered.

"Whatever do you mean?," Xaira replied. Riolu shook his head, sighing.

"Well, that's settled," Chatot said, "Let me explain the schedule. Right after this, I will hold a briefing on the expedition. Each of you should get prepared to embark on the expedition. Let me remind you that you may not bring non-guild members of your teams. When you are prepared for the upcoming journey, you should return here. That is all. Dismissed!" With that, Chatot hopped off with Wigglytuff and Team Skull to prepare for the expedition. The apprentices gathered together with Xaira standing a slight distance from the others, listening to their conversation.

"I could scream, I'm so happy!" Sunflora exclaimed, "Everyone is going on the expedition!"

"Our Guildmaster has done it again." Chimecho said with a smile, a blush forming on her cheeks, "I'm so shocked, I'm tingling!"

"I didn't think Xaira and I would get picked," Riolu said, "So this defiantly was a shock! I'm glad we never gave up!"

"By golly, I'm mighty happy that they're even letting me go on this here expedition," Bidoof said, tears forming in his eyes. "It's like I'm dreaming. It's making me feel mighty emotional…"

"This is no dream," Dugtrio replied in a serious tone. "However, since we are all going, it means we're all going to be put to the test as well. That's why I would like to propose that all of us apprentices work as one."

"I second that," Xaira spoke up, stepping forward, "It is to our advantage that we cooperate. I'm sure that if we do that, this expedition will be successful for all of us."

"Yeah!" Loudred agreed, "THAT'S the spirit!"

"Let's band together and do it!" Riolu exclaimed. The apprentices all walked together to Treasure Town before going their separate ways to prepare.

"Isn't this exciting?" Riolu chattered excitedly as he sorted through the items being kept in storage, "I can't believe this is actually happening!"

"Calm yourself," Xaira replied, "Exciting as it may be, don't let that distract you. The last thing we need is for you to pack Reviser Seeds instead of Reviver Seeds."

"Why do we even keep those, anyway?" Riolu asked. Xaira shrugged.

"I have my reasons," she replied.

"Anyway," Riolu said, "We have all we need. We should head back to the guild." By the time Riolu and Xaira got back to the guild, everyone else had already gathered.

"All accounted for, it appears," Chatot said, looking over the apprentices, "Well then. Let me explain about this expedition. First, the objective: exploration of Fogbound Lake. The lake is said to be located far to the east, enshrouded by a dense fog. Because of this, its actual existence has never been confirmed. It is rumored that a treasure of exquisite beauty is hidden there."

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed, "We're going on a Treasure Hunt! This is so exciting!" Xaira had to admit, the idea of treasure was indeed exciting. However, she knew that she couldn't focus solely on the treasure. She needed to use this opportunity to keep an eye out for clues of her past or what exactly her visions were.

"I'm sure that's to be expected from an expedition, Riolu," Xaira replied, "However, it does sound exciting. It'll be nice to see a little more of the world outside of Treasure Town."

"Yup!" Wigglytuff agreed, "It will be fun, fun, fun!"

"The lake is a considerable distance from the guild," Chatot continued, "Therefore, we will camp at the foot of the highlands. I will mark the location on your maps just before we disembark. We will split up into several groups to travel to the base camp. If we were to travel as a single group, our mobility would be restricted. The first group is Sunflora, Loudred, Diglett, and Croagunk."

"You guys! You'd better NOT hold me back!" Loudred stated.

"You should talk!" Sunflora snapped. Rolling his eyes, Chatot read the nest group.

"The next group is Dugtrio, Chimecho, and Corphish."

The three Pokémon seemed much happier to travel together than Sunflora and Loudred did.

"The next group is Riolu, Xaira, and Bidoof."

"We're in the same group!" Bidoof cried happily, "I hope I can keep up. Yup, yup!"

"Hey, same here, Bidoof!" Riolu said with a laugh.

"The Guildmaster and I shall travel together," Chatot continued "That is acceptable, yes?"

"Awwwww! I have to go with Chatot?" Wigglytuff asked, "That's so boring!"

"Please don't be difficult," Chatot said, frustration evident in his voice, "This is a key element of our strategy."

"Meanie." Wigglytuff muttered, causing Xaira to chuckle. Chatot sighed in exasperation.

"It's about time someone said something like that to his face," Xaira whispered to Riolu, "I'm just sorry that it wasn't me."

"And finally, Team Skull, should travel as their own group." Chatot said.

"Understood," Skuntank replied.

"Well then," Chatot said, "With that out of the way, let's move out!" With that, the Pokémon split into their groups and set off on their journeys to the base camp. Xaira, Riolu, and Bidoof ended up deciding on a route along the seacoast. Eventually, they came across a rocky area with cliffs that overlooked the ocean.

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed as he ran towards the edge of the cliff that they were standing on, "The sea is right up this way, Xaira! And just look at this cliff!" Riolu turned around, starring at the cliff that loomed over them, "It's so steep!"

"Don't get too close to the edge," Xaira warned, "If you fall, I'm not jumping in to save you." She walked a bit closer to Riolu and stared at the water. "Although, I have to admit. This is quite the view."

"Isn't it?" Riolu replied.

"Yup, yup!" Bidoof said, standing alongside Xaira, "I reckon this is looking more and more like a true expedition! The path ahead surely will get tricky, just what real explorers like to see." Bidoof paused for a moment. "I just want to say again that this here's my first expedition! I'm feeling kind of nervous, by golly."

"That goes for us too," Riolu replied with a smile, "We're all new at this. Let's just do our best."

"It makes one wonder why Chatot would choose to put the three least experienced apprentices on one team," Xaira said.

"I'm sure that Chatot knows what he's doing," Riolu stated.

"Sure he does." Xaira paused for a moment as Riolu examined the map. Suddenly, something occurred to her. A sly smile formed on her face. "You know, Bidoof," she said, "I'm surprised that you are so happy travelling with us."

"Why is that?" Bidoof asked.

"Well," Xaira continued, "I just thought that you would rather travel with Sunflora." A blush was visible through the fur on Bidoof's cheeks.

"Wh-what makes you say that?" Bidoof asked.

"Seriously?" Xaira asked, "It's clear that you-"

"Leave the poor guy alone, Xaira," Riolu said, not looking up from his map.

"Can't I have a little fun?" Xaira asked with a short laugh, "How's the route planning going?"

"We're still quite far from base camp," Riolu said.

"Let's just work on getting to a rest point," Xaira suggested, "We can plan the rest of the journey from there."

"I had the same thought," Riolu replied. He pointed to a tall looking mountain that was halfway between where they were and where the base camp was supposed to be. "We could try reaching this spot."

"Sounds reasonable," Xaira said as she examined the map.

"I agree with that!" Bidoof said. Riolu rolled up the map and walked to an opening in the cliff's wall, examining it. Xaira just watched.

(Riolu is acting more like a leader.) she thought (It must be the excitement from exploring that's bringing it out. One could never tell that this is the same timid Riolu from before.)

"Huh?" she heard Riolu mutter.

"Is there a problem?" Xaira asked stepping forward.

"If you look closely here," Riolu said as he pointed to the cave, "there are two entrances." Xaira took a closer look. It was true. On the right, the path was littered with pools of water and jagged rocks. The left path looked smoother and dryer.

"Now, that is mighty vexing," Bidoof commented.

"Which way should we go?" Riolu asked, "Do you have any ideas, Xaira?"

"I'm going to have to go with the right path," Xaira replied.

"Are you sure?" Bidoof asked, "That way looks mighty difficult."

"Well, the easy way isn't always the right way," Xaira replied.

"Alright," Riolu said with a nod. "Let's go."

The path led them into a mystery dungeon that was made up of wet caves and steep cliffs. It wasn't as difficult of a journey as the trio had originally thought. Aside from a couple battles, there were few troubles. After what felt like hours going in and out of caves, the group exited the final cave, and stepped onto a rocky mountain. Xaira glanced around. It was dusk.

"Whew…By golly" Bidoof panted, "We're finally through."

"Yeah, but we're still pretty far from base camp," Riolu said, taking a glance at the map.

"I reckon we've got ourselves a little closer," Bidoof stated.

"We're nearly there," Riolu said as he placed the map back into the Treasure Bag. "All that's left is to cross this mountain." There was a low, rumbling noise.

"Whoops," Bidoof said sheepishly, "That was my belly growling."

"I'm hungry too," Riolu said, looking at the sky. "It's already getting dark. Climbing the mountain now would be dangerous. We can rest here tonight."

"I agree completely!" Bidoof said.

"Sounds like a plan," Xaira said with a nod.

"Then let's eat!" Riolu said. After Riolu prepared dinner, the three Pokémon gathered around a fire that was built from some nearby twigs and a Blast Seed.

"This fire was a good idea, Xaira," Riolu said as he took a bite out of an apple. He paused for a moment, noticing that Xaira was attempting to spear a Chesto Berry with the sharp looking stick in her mouth, with little success. "What are you doing?"

"You'll see," she replied, finally succeeding. She inched closer to the fire, holding the end of the stick with the berry over it. After a while, she stepped away and proceeded to eat the berry off of the stick. "This would be so much easier with actual hands," she commented. Riolu did the same as she did with a Pecha Berry. Bidoof decided to roast a Rawst Berry, and much to Xaira's envy, did so much easier than she did.

"This is great!" Riolu exclaimed as he took a bite out of the Pecha berry.

"Yup, yup!" Bidoof said, "Where did you learn a trick like this?" Xaira looked down, focusing on her food.

"I don't remember, actually" she replied. Riolu gave her a sympathetic glance.

"In any case, this is brilliant," he said with a smile.

"It truly is," Bidoof agreed, "I'll have to share this with all the apprentices when we get to base camp!"

"Feel free," Xaira replied.

"I still can't believe that this is really happening," Bidoof said, "I can't wait to write back home. Mama'll bee so proud!"

"Your mom?" Riolu asked. Bidoof nodded.

"I used to live with her, my brother and my sister on the river," Bidoof said, "I sure do miss them sometimes."

"I know the feeling," Riolu said, "My mom and dad live up north on the Air Continent. My dad's pretty famous there. In fact, he's the reason I wanted to be an explorer in the first place. So I moved down here a few years ago because I heard how great Wigglytuff's Guild was."

"What was that like?" Bidoof asked. Riolu sighed, taking a bite out of a roasted Cheri Berry.

"It was…" Riolu trailed off, trying to think of a way to describe the experience, "honestly terrifying. I can't tell you how many times I considered going home. It took me a long time to get used to Treasure Town and even longer to build up the courage to join Wigglytuff's Guild. I write to my parents all the time now, but they're so busy, it's difficult for them to reply."

"So, Xaira," Bidoof said, "What about you? What's your family like?" Xaira shrugged, looking down.

"I'm sure they're all doing well," she answered. "Maybe." There was a moment of silence. Riolu cleared his throat.

"It's getting late," he said, "We should all get to sleep so we can be ready for travelling tomorrow. Riolu dowsed the fire and together he, Bidoof, and Xaira set up the Wigglytuff shaped tent given to them by the guild. That night, Xaira found it difficult to sleep. After tossing and turning for a while, she decided to exit the tent to get some fresh air. Outside, she looked up and stared at the stars. Her eyes widened in awe. There were so many of them. She walked closer to the edge of the cliff she was standing on. It was dark, so she could barely see anything. She sat down and turned her attention back to the sky. A light breeze swept through her fur. She closed her eyes, enjoying the cool air.

"Couldn't sleep?" a voice asked. Xaira tensed and quickly looked over her shoulder, relaxing when she realized that it was only Riolu.

"No," she whispered before staring at the sky again Riolu stood beside her.

"The stars are beautiful, aren't they?" Riolu asked.

"They are," Xaira replied.

"Listen, about earlier," Riolu said, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"What is there to say?" Xaira asked as she turned to Riolu.

"I can't even imagine what you're going through," he replied, "or how your family feels for that matter." Xaira shook her head.

"I'm perfectly fine," she replied, "Don't worry so much."

"I think we both know that's not true," Riolu said, "Xaira, you don't have to act so tough all the time." Xaira sighed.

"What Bidoof said earlier got me thinking," Xaira said, "I have a family out there Riolu. And I have barely given them a thought the entire time I've been here. I suppose I feel a little guilty."

"Is that what's bothering you?" Riolu asked as he sat down beside her. Xaira looked down.

"It's not the only thing. The truth is that a part of me wants to regain my memories and become human again, and return home, wherever that may be, more than anything," she admitted. For a moment, Xaira could have sworn that she saw a hint of sadness on Riolu's face.

"And the other part?" Riolu asked.

"I'm just…" Xaira paused. "concerned about what I might find out, that's all."

"It couldn't be that bad," Riolu reassured her. Xaira shook her head.

"I could be a number of terrible things," she replied, "Or I could have been through a number of terrible things that are best not remembered. Do you ever wonder where I got these scars from?"

"Listen, Xaira," Riolu said, "Even if you turn out to be some sort of criminal, you'll still have me. I'll always be your friend. Besides, you're a good Po-person now. Why should what you did in the past mater?"

"I suppose you have have a point," Xaira replied. "Thank you."

"No problem," Riolu replied. "If you ever need to talk, tell me. It's not good to keep all these problems and feelings bottled up, you know."

"I'll keep that in mind," Xaira replied, "Can I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?" Riolu asked.

"If I ever get whiny or start moping about this, or anything at all for that matter, will you slap me across the face?" Xaira requested, a smile forming on her face. Riolu chuckled.

"I don't know about that," he replied.

"You know something?" Xara said, "Aside for the scrapes we get into sometimes, this exploring thing is kind of fun."

"It is, isn't it?" Riolu asked. The two sat there for a while, enjoying the silence. Riolu cleared his throat.

"We should get back to bed," he said, walking to the tent, "Are you coming?"

"Later," Xaira said, "I'll catch up with you."

"Alright," Riolu said, "Good night, Xaira."

The next morning, the trio packed up the tent and prepared for the journey ahead.

"Golly," Bidoof said, looking at the sky, "The sun isn't even up yet."

"You want to get to the camp before tomorrow, don't you?" Xaira asked.

"Alright, gang," Riolu said, "We have to get moving if we're going to make it to the base camp before the sun goes down."

"Crossing this mountain's going to take us to base camp," Bidoof said cheerfully, "Yup, yup! Let's get it done!" As he walked past Xaira, he accidently brushed against her shoulder. After a few moments, Xaira felt the familiar dizzy feeling come over her.

Bidoof was running through a rocky area, an Aerodactyl close behind him. He ran until he was cornered by the Aerodactyl and two Ariados. The Pokemon closed in for an attack. The ground began to shake. Suddenly, several boulders tumbled down the rocky slope, crushing Bidoof and the other Pokémon.

When Xaira's regular sight returned, she instantly ran to Riolu's side.

"We have a problem," she whispered.

"What is it?" Riolu asked.

"I had another vision," Xaira explained. "Bidoof is in serious trouble."

"What happened?" Riolu asked.

"He's going to get chased by three strange Pokémon and get crushed by a landslide," Xaira replied. "He was in an area that looked very much like this mountain."

"In that case," Riolu said, "We need warn him. Tell him what you saw." Xaira shook her head.

"I'd rather not," she replied, "I doubt he'd believe it. We can just warn him about rockslides and the dangers of getting separated from the group. That should be enough."

"Let's hope so," Riolu muttered.

The climb up the mountain was rather easy at first. Of course, there were a few battles, but for the most part, the Pokémon there were not too difficult to fight.

"How much more do you think we need to go?" Riolu asked, panting.

"Don't ask me," Xaira replied, "You're the one with the map." Riolu looked over his shoulder to see how Bidoof was doing. To his shock and horror, Bidoof was gone.

"Xaira," Riolu said, "We have a problem."

"What is it now?" Xaira asked as she looked behind her. Realizing that Bidoof was not there, she muttered to herself. "You have got to be kidding."

"Where could he have gone?" Riolu asked, looking around. There was no sign of Bidoof anywhere.

"We have to hurry," Xaira said as she broke into a run, "Let's retrace our steps."

"Xaira!" Riolu called, running after her, "Wait! It'll do us no good if we get separated!" Xaira and Riolu looked for what felt like hours. Unfortunately, Bidoof was nowhere to be found.

"Where could he possibly be?" Riolu asked. As if to answer his question, a cry split the air.

"HELP!"

"That way!" Xaira exclaimed, running in the direction of the cry for help, Riolu following close behind her. When they caught up with Bidoof, he was already cornered by the Areodactly and the Ariados from her vision.

"Hey!" she shouted. The Pokémon turned to face her. "Get out of here! Now! There's about to be a rockslide!" The Ariados and Aerodactyl exchanged glances. Suddenly, Xaira heard a low rumbling noise.

"Bidoof!" she shouted, "Run!" Bidoof broke out into a sprint, running past the Aerodactyl and Ariados, who were too stunned to move. Xaira Rioluu and Bidoof ran until they heard a crashing noise followed by a cloud of dust.

"Is everyone alright?" Riolu asked as the dust cleared.

"A little shaken, but other than that, I'm good," Bidoof answered.

"What about you Xaira?" Riolu asked. Xaira, who had tripped, stood up and winced. Her ankle hurt pretty badly.

"Just perfect," she said through her teeth. She looked over her shoulder. The Pokémon from earlier were nowhere in sight. There was only a pile of boulders.

"You're hurt," Riolu said as he walked to Xaira's side.

"Golly, I'm so sorry," Bidoof said, "If I hadn't gotten myself separated from the group-"

"Don't worry about it," Riolu said, "It wasn't like you knew what would happen." Xaira felt a twinge of guilt.

"I'm sure that we are all at least a little at fault here," she said, "This is an actual exploration anyway. It's to be expected that things like this happen."

"But your paw-" Bidoof began.

"Will heal," Xaira interrupted, "I can walk it off. I suggest that we all tread more carefully from now on." The trio began to travel again, with Xaira lagging behind. Slowing down, Riolu began to walk at her side.

"Xaira," Riolu whispered.

"I know what you're about to say," Xaira whispered back, "And no, telling Bidoof about my vision would not have helped anything. If anything, he just would have laughed it off and possibly gotten in to trouble anyway. As bad as I feel about what happened, that's how it is."

"Actually, I was just going to ask how your paw was doing," Riolu said.

"It's fine," Xaira replied, "As I said earlier, I just have to walk it off."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Xaira replied, "Now let's pick up the pace. I want to get off this mountain by sundown."


	9. Groudon's Heart

After a few hours of walking, the trio of Pokémon arrived in a foggy, forested area.

"We finally made it!" Bidoof exclaimed happily. "We're almost to the base camp!"

"Let's hurry!" Riolu replied excitedly. After a few more minutes of walking, the trio arrived at the base camp. Xaira glanced around. From the looks of it, everybody else had already arrived.

"Howdy, folks!" Bidoof greeted as he stepped into the crowd of Pokémon. "Sorry to keep you all waiting!" A very annoyed Chatot hopped over to Bidoof.

"You all are late!" he scolded. "Everyone else arrived a long time ago! Go set your equipment down. Afterwards, join the others for the strategy briefing." Xaira, Bidoof, and Riolu did as they were told. As they did so, Xaira took the time to examine her surroundings. The camp was in a forest clearing which was covered by fog, which was luckily rather thin at the moment. Everything looked perfectly normal, but there was something about the place that bothered Xaira.

"Hm? What's up, Xaira?" Riolu asked. Xaira didn't respond.

( _What's this weird sensation?)_ Xaira thought. Then it dawned on her. ( _Wait a second! I know this place! Have I been here before? Is that possible?_ )

"Come on!" Chatot shouted, snapping Xaira out of her thoughts. "We haven't got all day!"

"Let's move it, Xaira." Riolu said as he walked over to where the other Pokémon were standing. Xaira followed behind him.

"Attention, please." Chatot said as everyone gathered, "Since everyone has arrived at our base camp safe and sound, we shall now proceed to the exploration of Fogbound Lake! Fogbound Lake is supposedly concealed somewhere within this dense forest. Exploration teams of all stripes have mounted many a challenge, but so far the lake has eluded discovery."

"Hey, hey, hey! So is it really there or what?!" Corphish asked.

"Silly Corphish," Sunflora scolded, "You'll wreck the dream if you say something like that."

"Yeah, don't spoil things now!" Loudred added.

"Um, may I?" Chimecho spoke up, "Um, while we were travelling, I heard about a certain legend."

"A legend, you say?" Chatot asked. Chimecho nodded.

"Yes," she replied, "A legend about Fogbound Lake. According to the legend, Fogbound Lake is home to a Pokémon named Uxie. The Pokemon is said to be exccedingly rare. Uxie is said to lock eyes with others and wipe their memories clean." Xaira's eyes widened.

"Wipe their memories clean?!" she exclaimed. Chimecho nodded.

"If travelers were to happen upon Fogbound Lake, Uxie would wipe their memories clean," she said, "Thereby muzzling the travelers from revealing the existence of the lake."

"Golly," Bidoof said, shuddering. "That's a pretty hair-raising tale."

"What'll I do if my MEMORY is wiped clean?" Loudred asked.

"I don't think you have much to worry about," Sunflora commented. "After all, you're so forgetful anyway." Loudred was about to retort, but Chatot cleared his throat, preventing anything else from being said.

"Places of this sort can be expected to have a folktale or a legend attached to them," Chatot said, "Pay it no mind. Tales like these are often designed to scare Pokémon away and protect the treasure. Even if Uxie is here, our guild has overcome many difficult challenges and obstacles in the past. This will be no different." Xaira glanced at the other apprentices. They didn't look too certain.

"Don't worry, everything will be alright!" Wigglytuff said with a smile. "Let's believe in success for this adventure!"

"Let's move on with our plan." Chatot said. "The Guildmaster and I shall remain here to gather intelligence from our teams in the field. You are to go off in teams to explore this forest. Be aware that this forest is enshrouded in a deep fog. Once you enter it, visibility is severely restricted. That being said, if you find anything, return to the base camp and tell me or the Guildmaster. That is all." With that, Chatot left the apprentices to plan their trek through the forest.

( _According to the legend, the Pokémon Uxie can wipe clean the memories of others. I lost my memories, and I feel as I have been here before.)_ Xaira thought.( _Are these things really just a coincidence? Did I come here before I lost my memory and meet Uxie, who wiped my memory clean? It's possible. But. Even if that is true, it doesn't explain how I wound up on that beach or turned into a Pokémon.)_

"Right, Xaira?" she heard Riolu asked, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"What?" Xaira asked.

"I was just asking in it was okay if Bidoof could come with us to investigate the forest," Riolu said,

"Sure," Xaira replied, only half listening.

"Why do you keep drifting off like that?" Riolu asked. "Is something the matter?"

"It's nothing," Xaira said quickly.

"All right," Riolu said, looking at her suspiciously. "Let's roll out!" Riolu and Bidoof walked deeper into the forest, Xaira following a good distance behind them.

( _Maybe the keys to unlocking my memory are here.)_ Xaira thought. _(I may find some answers if Fogbound Lake can be found_.)

"Xaira! Check this out!" Riolu called.

"What is it?" Xaira asked. Riolu held up a shiny, red rock. It was oddly shaped.

"Some kind of stone," Riolu replied. "I found it under a pile of leaves over there."

"It sure is pretty, yup up!" Bidoof said, staring at it. "It's kind of like a gem, actually."

"It certainly is interesting," Xaira said with a shrug.

"Yep!" Riolu said with a nod, "It's warm, too! It's like heat is coming from the stone. It's weird. It doesn't seem to be lava."

"I should hope not," Xaira replied, "You wouldn't have a hand otherwise."

"Anyway," Riolu said, it might be rare. "I'll keep it." He placed the stone in the Treasure Bag, "Let's get going."

"Ugh," Riolu muttered as he tripped over a rock for the umpteenth time, "This fog is not making anything easier." The trio had been walking for what felt like hours, but there was no sign of anything that resembled a lake.

"Yup," Bidoof agreed, "It's mighty hard to see,"

"It's not that bad," Xaira commented, "It gives us cover from anything that might attack us."

"But we can't see anything either," Riolu responded. Suddenly, Xaira heard a low noise.

"Do you hear that?" Xaira asked looking around.

"Hear what?" Riolu asked.

"It sounds like rushing water!" Xaira exclaimed, "This way!" She took off running.

"W-wait!" Bidoof called.

"We can't afford to get separated here!" Riolu shouted as he and Bidoof caught up with Xaira.

"Keep moving," Xaira said, "We're almost there." After a bit of running, the three Pokémon found the source on the noise. Several waterfalls were crashing down, seemingly from nowhere. The mist from the waterfalls made it even harder to see.

"This is so cool!" Riolu exclaimed. "Look at all these waterfalls!"

"But where are we?" Bidoof asked. "Is this the deepest part of the forest? Golly, it's even harder to see here than it was before!" Xaira glanced around. There were few trees in sight.

"I'm not even sure we're in a forest anymore," she said.

"Hey, hey, hey!" a voice called, causing Riolu to jump. Xaira glanced in the direction of the voice. She saw a figure of a Pokémon stepping forward.

"Look, it's Corphish!" Riolu said as the Pokémon became completely visible.

"Hey, hey! You three find any clues?" Corphish asked. Bidoof shook his head.

"No, nothing yet," he said.

"What about you, Corphish?" Riolu asked.

"I've got nothing here, either," Corphish replied, "But, there is something here that's kind of interesting."

"Interesting?" Riolu repeated.

"What is it?" Bidoof asked. Corphish let the Pokémon a short ways past the waterfalls. There near the side of what looked to be a cliff was an enormous statue of a Pokemon. The Pokemon was rather large and looked rather intimidating to Xaira.

"Wh-what?! What is this?!" Riolu asked as he examined the moss covered statue.

"It seems to be a statue of a Pokémon," Corphish said.

"But what kind of Pokémon is that?" Bidoof asked.

"Don't ask me," Corphish replied, "I've never seen a Pokémon like it." Xaira examined the base of the statue. Looking closer, she noticed some strange symbols. However, as strange as they looked, Xaira couldn't help but feel that they looked familiar.

"I think I've found something!" she said.

"It's an inscription of some sort," Riolu said, examining the symbols, "Oh! And it's in footprint runes. Let me read it." Clearing his throat, Riolu began to read aloud. "Reignite the life that burned within Groudon. Then the sky shall blaze with the sun's heat. The path to treasure shall be revealed."

"Where did you learn to read things like that?" Xaira asked.

"I study ancient texts in my free time," Riolu explained, "I always thought it would be important to learn for explorations."

"Could you teach me sometime?" Xaira asked. Before Riolu could answer, Bidoof spoke up.

"Golly. Did you hear that 'The path to treasure?' I reckon we're mighty close to Fogbound Lake! Yup, yup!"

"Bidoof right!" Riolu exclaimed, " The secret to finding Fogbound Lake could be hidden right here!"

"Y-you think so?" Corphish asked, "Now that's a mystery we've got to solve!"

"This part of the footprint runes," Riolu said, glancing at the text again, "This part about 'the life that burned within Groudon.' What is that about? So this Groudon, is it this statue?"

"So we're supposed to what, ignite the life that was in this statue?" Corphish asked.

"Most likely," Xaira replied.

"Now, how do we go about doing that?" Bidoof asked.

"Hey, Xaira," Riolu whispered, "Do you think you can-"

"Already on it," Xaira whispered back, "Just keep the others distracted." Xaira walked up to the statue.

( _Alright. This better work. If it means finding the key to my own path…If the answers are held by this statue, I can't fail._ ) Xaira placed her paw on the statue's base. After a few moments, the familiar dizzy feeling came over her. However, something was different. This time, the darkness didn't clear, even after the bright flash of light.

" _That's it! It's here! It's here_!" _a muffled voice exclaimed._

A strong feeling of shock and fear came over Xaira, and she felt that familiar feeling of being yanked back.

( _What was that?)_ Xaira thought as her sight returned. ( _Whose voice was that?_ ) Once again, Xaira felt dizzy. ( _Wh-what, again?)_ Everything faded to black once more.

 _"_ _I see! Place the Drought Stone in Groudon's heart. That lifts the fog!" A different voice from earlier exclaimed. "Very well done! Good job, partner!"_ Xaira, once again, felt like she was being jerked back

( _What did I just pick up on_?) Xaira thought. ( _That voice, whose voice was that? I didn't even get a sense of what the voice really sounds like. But…It felt so familiar…)_

"Are you alright, Xaira?" Bidoof asked, "You just spaced out there for a while."

"Did you see something we missed?" Riolu asked. Xaira didn't answer.

( _What did that voice say?)_ Xaira tried to recall everything the voice said. ( _It said, 'Place the Drought Stone in Groudon's heart,' then said, 'That lifts the fog!')_ As she thought, Xaira circled the statue, attempting to see if there was anything that they might have missed. When she reached the statues front, she noticed an odd hole in the statues chest. That was when it clicked. ( _Wait a second! Drought Stone? Is that maybe…)_

"Riolu!" Xaira said, "You know that stone you found earlier?"

"Yes," Riolu said with a nod, "What about it?"

"There's a hollow in the statue's chest," Xaira said, "It looks about the size and shape of that stone you found. Do you think that you can see if it will fit?"

"Alright!" Riolu said as he walked up to the statue. "So right here?" Riolu placed the gem in the statues chest.

"It looks to be a perfect fit," Bidoof commented.

Suddenly, the statue's eyes began to glow a bright red. The ground began to shake.

"Everyone, get back!" Riolu cried. The group of Pokémon fled from the statue, and a bright light filled the area, causing Xaira to shut her eyes.

"Hey, hey! The fog is gone!" she heard Corphish exclaim when the ground stopped shaking. Xaira opened her eyes, but nearly shut them the moment she did so. The sunlight was intense. She glanced at Riolu, who was looking up at the sky. Xaira did the same. There, hanging over a good portion of the area, was the rocky side of a plateau that looked rather round. It was now visible that the waterfalls were coming from there.

"Golly!" Bidoof exclaimed, "Would you look at that!"

"Hey, hey! What exactly is it?" Corphish asked.

"That's what the fog was hiding," Riolu said. "No wonder no one could ever find Fogbound Lake."

"You're saying Fogbound Lake is up there?" Corphish asked.

"Yes, that's what I think," Riolu said.

"This is getting mighty exciting!" Bidoof exclaimed.

"Hey, hey! This is no time to be gawking!" Corphish said. "I'll let everyone in the guild know. You go on ahead." With that, Corphish walked away.

"Bidoof," Xaira said, "Could you go with him? I know the fog is gone and all, but I don't think it would be a good idea for him to go wandering through the forest alone." Bidoof looked at Xaira, confused, for a few moments before nodding.

"Sure thing!" he said, walking off.

"All right," Xaira said, "Let's get going." Before she and Riolu could take a single step, a familiar vice called out.

"Hold it!"

"Lovely," Xaira muttered. Skuntank, Koffing, and Zubat approached the duo.

"Y-you brutes?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Good job!" Skuntank said with a chuckle.

"You solved the mystery," Koffing said, "You're no longer of use to us!"

"We'll swipe the treasure, thanks to you!" Zubat added.

"You fiends!" Riolu exclaimed. "You planned this all along!"

"You expected anything less?!" Koffing asked.

"No," Xaira replied, "Not really."

"Sorry to say it, but we'll have to get rid of you right here." Skuntank said.

"We'll make you eat those words!" Riolu exclaimed. "We won't let you go to Fogbound Lake!"

"Nor will we allow you to harm Wigglytuff," Xaira added, "Or anyone else in the guild for that matter. Except Chatot. Feel free to beat him up anytime."

"Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed. Skuntank laughed.

"You've already forgotten our last showdown?" Skuntank asked. "Let me remind you how you lost to Koffing and me. You're destined to fail again!" Riolu gulped. Before anything else could happen, a voice rang through the air.

"Wait! Wait for me!" A large red apple rolled between Team Vatonage and Team Skull.

"Wh-what?" Zubat said.

"Perfect Apple! Perfect Apple!" the voice called again. Xara glanced to the side and noticed Wigglytuff running towards them.

"I finally caught you! My Perfect Apple!" Wigglytuff exclaimed as he scooped the apple up. "If my Perfect Apple went away, I would…" Wigglytuff began to sniffle. "Oh?" he said when he noticed Riolu and Xaira standing there. "You two!" He glanced at Team Skull. "And my friends too! Everyone's all together! Yay! Yay!" He began to dance around.

"G-Guildmaster, what are you doing here?" Skuntank asked, recovering from his shock.

"Huh? What am I doing?" Wigglytuff repeated. "I was taking a walk in the forest. Then my Perfect Apple went rolling and rolling away from me. So I ran and ran and ran, and here I am." He turned to Xaira and Riolu. "You two shouldn't be dawdling here, should you?"

"Huh?" Riolu asked, "What?"

"You two have a job, don't you?" Wigglytuff asked. "To explore the forest, right? Go on then, off you go."

"But-" Riolu began.

"You don't want to listen to your Guildmaster?" Wigglytuff asked, "Boooo! Boooo! Hurry! Get exploring!"

"Riolu opened his mouth to say something else, but Xaira stopped him.

"Now, now, Riolu," she said, "The fog is gone and you have nothing to be afraid of."

"What? I-"

"We have nothing to worry about," Xaira said, "Now let's go." Xaira turned to Wigglytuff. "We'll be on our way now. Be careful, Guildmaster, and don't turn your back to any Pokémon, no matter how friendly they seem. Especially around here." With that, Xaira headed away from Wigglytuff and Team Skull, Riolu following closely behind her.

"Are you crazy?" Riolu asked as they walked along the wall of the cliff., "Team Skull's gonna-"

"Calm yourself, Riolu," Xaira said, "Everything will work out just fine."

"How so?" Riolu asked.

"Think about it," Xaira said, "The entire guild is going to be there soon enough. If Team Skull attempts anything, they will be caught and defeated."

"What about their noxious gas combo?" Riolu asked.

"That's why we're going ahead," Xaira replied. "In the event that Team Skull knocks out the others, we can get to the lake before them. If we can get Uxie to wipe their memories, they will no longer be a problem for us."

"Did you plan all this from the get-go or are you just making this up as you go along?" Riolu asked.

"That doesn't matter," Xaira responded, "Point is that Team Skull is guaranteed to fail."

"Are you completely sure? Riolu asked. "I really don't want a repeat of the incident back at Mt. Horn." Xaira tensed for a moment.

"That won't happen again," Xaira said. "Never again. Besides, this time the plan is completely foolproof. Don't worry so much." Riolu sighed, shaking his head.

"There's still a chance that Uxie will wipe our memories first, you know," he said.

"Easily solved," Xaira answered, "Chimecho said he wipes memories by locking eyes with those who come across Fogbound Lake. We must simply not look directly at him."

"If you say so," Riolu replied with a shrug.

He turned his attention to the rocky side of the plateau. After a moment of examination, he noticed something odd.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, running to the wall to investigate it.

"What is it, Riolu?" Xaira asked walked over to Riolu to see what he was staring at. As she approached him, Xaira couldn't help but notice that the ground was becoming warmer.

"There it is, Xaira!" Riolu explained. "There's a big fissure here!" Sure enough, there was a rather large hole in the rocky wall. Xaira glanced around, taking note of the pools of water in the area. They seemed to be boiling. Steam came out of smaller holes in the wall in front of her.

"Is that steam?" Xaira asked, taking a closer look. She jumped back when a sudden blast of hot air hit her face.

"I bet that it's going to be really hot in there," Riolu commented. "But it's too late to get cold feet. I'm getting stoked about this, Xaira! What awaits us up ahead?"

"A hot spring would be nice," Xaira said, "I could use one right now." ( _And hopefully some answers will be provided as well_.) As she stared into the cavern, Xaira felt strangely drawn to it. It was as if something was calling out to her from inside.

"We're heading into a place where no one has ever gone before!" Riolu exclaimed, "That gets my heart pounding! Let's go Xaira! With any luck, this cave will lead right to the top!"

Taking a deep breath, the duo entered the cavern.


	10. The Mystery of Fogbound Lake

As Riolu and Xaira traveled upwards through the cave, Xaira noticed something odd. Despite all the traveling she and Riolu had been doing that day, she felt very energized. In fact, she felt more refreshed than she did that morning. Riolu noticed Xaira's newfound energy as well. He struggled to keep up with her fast pace as they navigated the cave.

"Hey!" he called. "Wait up!" Xaira slowed her pace.

"Hurry up!" she replied, looking over her shoulder.

"Easy for you to say," Riolu said as he caught up to her. For a moment, Riolu thought he saw a bluish green sparkle in Xaira's eye. It disappeared quickly, so he wrote it off as his imagination. "Where did you get all this energy from anyway? We've been walking all day with few opportunities to rest."

"How should I know?" Xaira asked. "Maybe I'm just anxious to reach the top."

"We've been travelling for a while," Riolu commented. "It can't be too much farther to the top!" Xaira opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when she heard a low noise.

"GRROOOOOOH!"

Xaira's ears twitched, and she looked around.

"What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?" Riolu asked. The noise sounded again.

"GRROOOOOOH!"

"That!" Xaira said. "Don't tell me you didn't hear anything!" Riolu shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said, "I didn't hear a thing." Once more, Xaira heard the noise, but this time it was louder.

"GRROOOOOOOOOOH!"

"Please tell me you heard it that time," Xaira said.

"I did hear something," Riolu replied as he glanced around the cave. "It sounded like a roar!"

"What do you think that noise is?" Xaira asked, "I haven't heard anything like it." Riolu shrugged.

"There's no telling what's ahead," he replied. "But we have to tough it out! Not far to go now. Let's do this!" Riolu sprinted ahead. Xaira walked behind him lost in thought.

( _We are nearly there. And when we reach the top, we may meet Uxie at last. He may answer my big question Who am I?_ ) She glanced at Riolu, who had just finished fighting off a Magmar. ( _That reminds me. I still haven't said a word about this to Riolu._ )

"Hey!" Xaira called, "Riolu!"

"Is something wrong?" Riolu asked as he walked back to her.

"Do you remember what Chimecho said about Uxie?" Xaira asked.

"Yes," Riolu said "What about it?"

"I think that he could be the key to unlocking my memories," Xaira explained, "You see, when I first got here, I had the strangest feeling that I have been to this place before, and after I learned about Uxie from Chimecho-"

"You got the idea that Uxie took your memory," Riolu interrupted. Xaira nodded. For a moment, Riolu seemed lost in thought. "In that case," he said with a smile, "We have an even bigger reason to reach the top that getting that treasure. Let's get moving! You're not the only one who's curious about what you were like. You know, you could be some sort of an explorer. Or maybe even a…" Xara listened to Riolu list off the possibilities, chuckling at some of the more out there ideas. But, as she thought of what could possibly be at the top, her smile faded. Whatever that roaring was, it definitely was something dangerous.

For a moment, she even felt the ground tremor. Xaira took a deep breath. Whatever was up there, she wouldn't allow it to get in the way of her uncovering her past.

...

Meanwhile, at the Groudon statue, Chatot and the apprentices gathered.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Corphish said as he led the others to the statue. "Check this out everyone!"

"This is it?" Chatot asked as he examined it. "The Groudon statue?" Corphish nodded.

"Chatot, do you know about Groudon?" he asked. Chatot scoffed.

"Well, of course!" he exclaimed. "Just what do you take me for? I'm only the head of intelligence for our guild! Groudon is a legendary Pokémon spoken of in myths passed down through generations. The myths say that he raised land from the sea. And that he built up the continents!"

"Hoo-boy! That sounds like a colossal Pokémon!" Corphish exclaimed. "What would happen if you were to face Groudon in battle?"

"Battle?!" Chatot interrupted. "Out of the question! If anyone were foolish enough to face Groudon in a battle… Well, it would be like throwing your life away! He is that strong! Like all legendary Pokémon!"

The apprentices whispered amongst themselves.

"In any case, are you really sure you that you saw the Guildmaster, Corphish?" Chatot asked. Corphish nodded.

"Sure, I'm sure!" he replied, "Bidoof and I saw him when we were scuttling back to base camp. The Guildmaster dashed past, all willy-nilly, in hot pursuit of a Perfect Apple! I gave him a shout and a wave, but he seemed too occupied to holler back." Bidoof glanced around.

"I guess that Riolu's team went ahead. So I'd bet that the Guildmaster went up after them, don't you think?" Before anyone could reply, the ground began to shake slightly.

"Hmmm? The ground…" Diglett trailed off.

"Uh-what? It's shaking!" Loudred exclaimed.

A faint roar rang through the air.

"What…whatever could that be?!" Chimecho exclaimed.

"Something is going on up there!" Corphish cried, glancing upwards. "Let's head up! Hurry!" The apprentices, save for Diglett and Dugtrio, rushed ahead. Diglett just stared in the opposite direction that the others had run. He had heard a strange noise that was quite different than the roaring that everyone had heard earlier.

"Diglett, what is it?" Dugtrio asked.

"Did you hear something?" Diglett asked. "Like moaning and groaning? It sounds like someone's hurt." Dugtrio listened for a moment, but everything was silent.

"Oh, you just imagined it," Dugtrio assured his son. "Now let's hurry."

...

"We've climbed way up!" Riolu said as he and Xaira emerged from the cave. Xaira glanced around. It was beginning to get dark. She shuddered.

"What is it, Xaira?" Riolu asked.

"I don't really know how to put it words," Xaira said quietly. "This place…It feels… strange somehow. It's making my skin crawl…all over. I feel like I'm being crushed by a terrible sense of danger."

"GRROOOOOOOOH…GROOOOOOOOH!" Riolu jumped at the noise.

"Eep! It's that sound we heard earlier, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed. "I knew it! It was roaring!"

"GROOOOOOOH!" The noise was getting louder. As it did, loud footsteps could be heard. The ground shook with each one.

"S-s-something is… is coming!" Riolu cried, frantic.

"Keep it together!" Xaira ordered, "We didn't come all this way to-" She trailed off when she saw what was approaching. It was an enormous, red Pokémon with gleaming gold eyes. Spikes went down the sides of its body, and it possessed long, sharp claws. The Pokémon unleashed a deafening roar, revealing sharp white teeth.

"Wh-what is that?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Groudon," Xaira said as she stared at the Pokémon.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "Th-that Pokémon…really exists?"

"Apparently," Xaira replied, still examining the Pokémon. "But something about him doesn't-"

"YOU!" Groudon bellowed. "HAVE YOU COME TO DESECRATE THIS PLACE? DEPART NOW!"

"B-but…" Riolu stammered, stepping forward. "We just want to go to Fogbound Lake!"

"WHAT?!" Groudon roared, causing Riolu to retreat back. "FOGBOOUND LAKE!? I AM GROUDON, THE GUARDIAN OF FOGBOUND LAKE! YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE HERE ALIVE, INTRUDERS!"

"Whaaaat?" Riolu exclaimed.

"Wait," Xaira said. "I thought Uxie was-" She was cut off by a roar.

"SILENCE!" Xaira didn't even flinch at the noise.

"Listen," Xaira said.

"Xaira," Riolu whispered, "Don't-" Xaira ignored him.

"I walked a good distance to get here, and let me tell you, it was a giant pain."

"Xaira…"

"Do you have any idea how hard it was to get through that fog?"

"Xaira."

"Point is, I'm not going to move a solitary step back until you-"

"INSOLENCE!" Groudon roared, "YOU DARE-"

"Oh, lower your voice!" Xaira exclaimed, "I get enough of that back at-"

"Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed. Xara snapped her head in his direction.

"What?" She asked.

"You're making him mad!"

"He's standing between me and-"

"That isn't an excuse! You can't just-" Groudon roared once more.

"YOU! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE! PREPARE FOR MY WRATH!" Riolu took a step back, swallowing. Xaira prepared a fighting stance.

"We can't back down now," she said, "Not when I'm so close."

"Are you crazy?!" Riolu exclaimed, "He's enormous! How are we supposed to-"

With a mighty roar, Groudon ran forward, swiping at the two Pokémon. They jumped swiftly away.

"Listen Riolu," Xaira said, "You want to be an explorer, right?"

"Yes but-"

"Then you have to face this!" Xaira continued, "It's an explorer's duty to face these kinds of things! You've been very brave throughout this expedition! You can't stop now!"

"There's brave and there's reckless!" Riolu argued as he dodged another swipe from Groudon. "I say we go back and meet up with the others! They can help us!"

"It's too late for that," Xaira replied as she launched an attack on Groudon's foot, causing him to stumble slightly. "Besides, if they are on their way, it's best that we continue this fight." Xaira narrowly avoided being stepped on and ran beside Riolu. "We can at least make him waste his energy so that if the others arrive, it will be much easier to take him down."

"And if they don't?"

"It's best not to think about it," Xaira said quickly. Groudon swung at her once more, this time hitting her and causing her to fly into a wall nearby.

"Xaira!" Riolu cried. Xaira slowly stood up. Surprisingly, the impact didn't hurt as much as it should have.

"I'm fine!" Xaira said as she shook the dust off. "Now help me! You're stronger than I am!" Xaira attacked Groudon's foot once more. Riolu followed up the move with a Quick Attack, which didn't seem to have as much of an effect.

"Are you sure about that?" Riolu asked. Xaira shook her head.

"Let's not focus that now! Follow my lead!" She began to run around Groudon's feet, attacking as she did. Realizing what she was doing, Riolu did the same.

"Are you sure this will work?" Riolu asked.

"This is all we can do right now," Xaira explained, "so this is our best bet. If you have any Sticks or Iron Thorns, use them."

"Alright," Riolu said, pulling out an Iron Thorn out of the Treasure Bag. Quickly he plunged the thorn into the side of Groudon's foot. Groudon roared, lifting his foot up to stomp on the blue Pokémon.

"Riolu!" Xaira cried. "Watch out!" Riolu didn't respond. He was frozen in fear. Reacting quickly, Xaira rushed to him and pushed him out of the way, causing the both of them to tumble out of the way.

"T-thanks," Riolu stuttered as he stood up.

"Don't thank me yet," Xaira replied, as Groudon charged at the duo. They jumped out of the way.

"What do we do?" Riolu asked.

"Toss an X-Eye Seed!" Xara ordered. Riolu nodded, hurling the seed directly at Groudon's face. It had no effect.

"What!?" Riolu exclaimed. "I don't get it! Is he immune?" Xaira groaned. It seemed like only physical attacks would work. Xaira's eyes widened. She had an idea.

"How many Blast Seeds do we have?" she asked. Riolu quickly looked through the Treasure Bag.

"Quite a few," he replied as he pulled out a handful.

"Give me one and scatter the rest at his feet!" Xaira ordered.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Just do it!" Riolu nodded, tossing Xaira one of the seeds, and running up to Groudon, avoiding his attacks as he scattered the seeds around. Xaira chewed the Blast Seed quickly, signaling Riolu to get out of the way. The moment Riolu was out of range, Xaira spat out a fireball, which flew at Groudon's feet, hitting the other Blast Seeds, setting them off. Riolu and Xaira watched as each seed exploded. Suddenly, there was a bright light. When it cleared, Groudon was nowhere to be found. In his place as a small, grey and yellow Pokémon collapsed on the ground.

"What? Where did Groudon go?" Riolu asked, glancing around.

"That was," the Pokémon said, levitating upwards, "not Groudon. That was nothing more than on illusion that I conjured." Xaira took note that the Pokémon's eyes were closed.

"Who are you?" Riolu asked

"As I said earlier, I am the guardian here," the strange Pokémon replied. "And I cannot allow you to pass."

"As _I_ said earlier," Xaira replied, getting into a fighting stance, "I'm not taking a step back the way I came until I get what I came for. So if you would kindly-"

"Wait!" Riolu interrupted, standing between the two, "We didn't come to make trouble! We came only to get some information! That's all! I promise!"

"Information, you say?" the Pokémon asked.

"Yes!" Riolu said quickly. "We're an exploration team, sure…And it'd be nice treasure for coming all this way! But if you have a problem with that, we'll walk away with nothing! We'll have to be satisfied with just making it this far!" Xaira nodded, stepping forward.

"He's telling the truth," she said, "If you will just listen, you will see why I am so…insistent." The Pokémon was silent for a moment, as if he were deep in thought.

"Very well," he said, "I believe you. Let me welcome you, then. I am Uxie, the guardian of Fogbound Lake."

"Did you say Uxie?!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira stayed silent. If this Pokémon really was the source of her memory loss, she was going to have words for him.

"Yes, truly," Uxie said with a nod, "I stand guard over something special that lies in Fogbound Lake. Please, come this way." Uxie lead the duo down a narrow path. As they walked, Xaira noticed that it had grown rather dark out. Uxie eventually lead them to the edge of a giant lake.

"It may be a little difficult to see at night," he said, "but…Behold! Fogbound Lake!" Xaira's eyes widened. With the moonlight and the lights of Illumise and Volbeat reflecting on the water, it was a beautiful sight. Xaira also noticed a glowing light that was a similar color to the ribbon she wore at the center of the lake.

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed, "Who'd ever expect to see something like this way up here!"

"Water constantly wells up from far below this place," Uxie explained, "It flows up so heavily that it has long formed this enormous lake. Now cast your eyes to the glowing area at the lakes center."

"That blueish green light, right?" Riolu asked.

"Step forward to get a closer look." Uxie said, Riolu and Xaira did so. As she did so, she noticed something odd in the light. It was a small gear of the same color. As she stared, her pulse raced, and she couldn't help but feel drawn to it somehow. She had to stop herself from stepping any further and falling into the water. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Uxie staring as much as he could with his closed eyes.

"What is that?" Riolu asked, "It has such a mysterious quality!"

"That is…" Uxie paused for a brief moment, "a Time Gear."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. Really?! A Time Gear?!"

"It's the sole reason I'm here," Uxie explained, "I guard the Time Gear. Others before you have tried to trespass here. But I used my Groudon illusion to chase most of them off."

"How'd you do that?" Riolu asked.

"That is something I create using my psychic abilities," Uxie replied, "Like so…" Uxie extended his arm, and an image of Groudon came into view. However, unlike the previous one, it didn't appear to be solid, and it flickered. With a cry of alarm, Riolu jumped back. "There is no need to be startled. As I've said, it's just an illusion. What you fought was no more than that. There have been others before who defeated my Groudon illusion. They managed to make their way to this spot. But they were trespassers! So I took away their memories…And, thus, projected the lake."

"Took away their memories?" Riolu repeated before lighting up. "Oh, right! We need to ask you something, Uxie! Meet my partner, Xaira! At present, a Pokémon! At one time, a human!"

"Oh, really? A human?" Uxie asked, surprise evident in his voice.

"It's true," Xaira said with a nod, "You can see why I felt coming here was so important."

"Yep!" Riolu said with a nod, "Did a human ever come here, Uxie?"

"Or do you possibly know what could have caused this?" Xaira asked.

"The answer is… no." Uxie replied. Xaira's ears drooped in disappointment. "I should explain further. I erase only memories of Fogbound Lake. I would never fully erase all memories from a living being. I had nothing to do with your friend's memory loss. Nor do I know anything to do with your into a Pokémon. The cause lies elsewhere."

"All this for nothing," Xaira sighed.

"Oh, well," Riolu said, disappointment evident on his features, "OK. So it doesn't look like you've been here before, Xaira. Sorry if we bothered you, Uxie."

"You were no bother," Uxie assured him, "However, there is something I must ask your friend." Xaira turned her attention to Uxie. "Tell me, have you ever-"

"A Time Gear!" a voice exclaimed. "Well, too bad! We can't take a Time Gear." Xaira and Riolu quickly turned around only to see Wigglytuff walking up to them.

"W-Wigglytuff!?" Riolu exclaimed.

"Wow! Fantastic!" Wigglytuff exclaimed as he took in the view of Fogbound Lake.

"And who might this be?" Uxie asked.

"Our Guildmaster," Riolu explained.

"Glad to meet you, friend!" Wigglytuff said to Uxie. He proceeded to walk over to the Groudon illusion. "Glad to greet you, friend!" He turned back to the lake.

"Gaze upon this amazing view! I'm delighted we came!" Xaira heard several footsteps from behind her. She turned around and watched as the rest of apprentices approached.

"Hey, hey! Someone's over there!" she heard Corphish exclaim.

"Let's go!" Chatot ordered. The apprentices ran closer, but at the sight of the Groudon illusion, Chatot let out a terrified squawk.

"Gr-Gr-Gr-" Loudred stuttered.

"It's Groudon! Spit it out!" Sunflora cried.

"Don't eat me! I'm not tasty!" Corphish said, shaking.

"Hello to one and all!" Wigglytuff said as he walked up to the others. "So what's wrong?"

"G-Guildmaster!" Chatot exclaimed.

"Oh, never mind that!" Wigglytuff said with a wave of his hand. "Everyone, look out there! It's spouting! Pretty! Pretty!" Exchanging confused glances, the apprentices walked to the edge of the lake to gaze at the view. A geyser had erupted in the exact location of the Time Gear.

"Oh, my! So shimmering!" Chimecho exclaimed.

"Yup, yup!" Bidoof agreed, "It's some kind of pretty!" Xaira stared at the sight in awe. She had never seen anything so beautiful.

"Yes, the lake geyser erupts every now and then," Uxie said, "It sends up water just like a fountain. And the Time Gear sends up illumination from below while many Illumise and Volbeat glow upon the fountain of water. In harmony, they are the very vision of beauty!"

"The treasure!" Wigglytuff exclaimed. "The treasure…must be the view of Fogbound Lake!"

"That's kind of a rip off," Xaira stated.

"Are you looking at this, Xaira?" Riolu asked, "This is so magical! It's too bad we didn't learn anything about your past, but I'm glad we came!"

"I'm glad too," Xaira replied. ( _But if it's true that I've never been here before, why do I feel as if I have? And the Time Gear…. When I see it, why does my pulse race? This unease I feel…What does it mean?_ )

"So sorry to have disturbed you!" Wigglytuff said as the geyser died down. "I Had a fantastic time!"

"I shall not take away your memories of this place," Uxie said, "You have all earned my trust. But I must ask that you keep this place a secret."

"Surely! Thank you!" Wigglytuff replied, "We all know what we need to do! You know, another Time Gear has been stolen. This must stay safe! We won't ever say a word about this place!"

"Please hold true to that promise." Uxie said.

"OK! Let's be on our way!" Wigglytuff replied. "Chatot, if you will!"

"B-but Guildmaster," Chatot said, "What about Team Skull? I haven't seen them since-"

"Oh, never mind them!" Wigglytuff interrupted, "I'm sure they'll be perfectly fine."

"Very well then," Chatot said, "Everyone, we're going back to the guild!" With that, everyone made their way back to the base camp, and after gathering their belongings, set off for the journey home.

* * *

 **I'm sorry this took so long. The Groudon battle gave me massive writer's block.**


	11. Dusknoir

**I'm so excited! Not only did I find videos of just the games cutscenes so that I don't have to skip through gameplay, it's getting closer to the darker part of the game. Just a few more chapters, and I'll be able to write the scene I've been looking forward to! By the way, if you want a link to the cutscenes, I'll be happy to send it to you!**

* * *

As the apprentices made their way back to the guild, Riolu noticed minor changes in Xaira. She looked much heathier than before. Her eyes seemed to shimmer, and her fur seemed slightly shinier. She also seemed slightly more energetic. Riolu smiled. The expedition seemed to do her some good.

"Hey Xaira!" he said, "Are you ready to get back to work?"

"I suppose," she replied, "I just don't look forward to waking up at the crack of dawn."

"I just wish that we had found a clue about your past," Riolu said. Xaira shook her head.

"I'm not giving up just yet," she said. "Let's pick up the pace. I don't want Chatot to yell at us for being late again."

By the time that they reached the guild, it was very late, so the apprentices immediately went to bed. The next morning, Riolu and Xaira were awakened by Loudred.

"It's been a while since we've been woken up like that," Riolu said with a yawn.

"I can't say that I missed it," Xaira grumbled as she stood up.

"We should hurry," Riolu said. "The morning announcements are about to start."

The morning announcements, in Xaira's opinion, were long and boring.

"Well, let's get back to our guild training, Xaira!" Riolu said cheerfully as soon as they were dismissed. "Let's work hard at it!"

"Now that's what I like to see!" Chatot praised, hopping over to where Xaira and Riolu were standing. "A lot of morning pep! Impressive! Let's see you put that pep to good use today!" Chatot looked like he was about to say something else, but was interrupted by Loudred.

"WHAT?!" Loudred shouted. "You can't identify the footprint?! What do you MEAN?!"

"I'm trying to tell you!" Diglett replied. "I can't identify what I don't know!" Sighing, Chatot hopped over to where Loudred and and Diglett were, Riolu and Xaira following behind him.

"What's wrong?" Chatot asked.

"We have a Pokémon visitor up top whose footprint we can't identify!" Loudred explained. "Diglett is an outstanding sentry. So it's rare for him to be stumped by footprints!" He gestured at Xaira and Riolu. If THOSE two were doing sentry duty, that'd be no shocker."

"Oh, yeah?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"If you two are such perfect sentries, why couldn't you figure out my footprint when we first got here?" Xaira asked. Loudred stepped forward, opening his mouth to argue, only to be stopped by Chatot.

"That's quite enough!" Chatot said, stepping between the Pokémon.

"Hmmmmm? Say again?" Diglett asked. "You want to meet our Guildmaster?" There was a pause. "Your name is…Dusknoir?! Oh! Please wait just a moment!"

"Dus…Dusknoir?!" Chatot repeated.

"The world-famous Dusknoir?!" Loudred exclaimed.

The apprentices gathered as they watched Dusknoir, a dark, intimidating looking Pokémon with one red eye, climb down the ladder and talk with Wigglytuff.

"Thank you for visiting!" Wigglytuff said as he stepped forward to shake Dusknoir's hand. "What an honor!"

"No, no! Think nothing of it!" Dusknoir replied. " The honor is all mine! There is no greater pleasure than visiting the famous Wigglytuff's Guild!"

"Hey, Loudred." Riolu whispered as he watched.

"What do you want?" Loudred snapped.

"Who's that visitor?" Riolu asked.

"WHAT?!" Loudred exclaimed, turning around. "You haven't heard of Dusknoir?! The famous explorer?!"

"Well, uh, well," Riolu stuttered, embarrassed. "I don't know."

"That's not surprising, really!" Sunflora said. "He's a new arrival on the scene! He came out of nowhere! Like a comet! He became famous almost overnight! They say his talents as an explorer are super exceptional!"

"So he's really that big of a deal, this Dusknoir?" Riolu asked.

"Yeah!" Loudred replied. "Here's some more good stuff that I heard! He does things unlike anyone else! First, he doesn't work in a team. He does all his exploring solo."

"Alone?" Riolu asked.

"That's right!" Loudred said. "He's got to be pretty sure about his skills to do that! But what's even more incredible? His wealth of knowledge! It seems like there's nothing in the world he doesn't know!"

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Or so the rumor goes," Sunflora said. "But he has used his knowledge to succeed on many explorations so far! And so many Pokémon revere Dusknoir for his achievements. That's how I know the claims about his mighty knowledge must be true!"

"Does Dusknoir visit here often?" Riolu asked. Loudred shook his head.

"No, this is his first time!" he said. "That's why Diglett couldn't recognize him. I think the Guildmaster just met him for the first time, too."

"Then why is he being that friendly?" Riolu asked. Loudred shrugged.

"Well, that's just how our Guildmaster is," he said. "Even if it's the first time he meets someone."

Xaira payed no attention to what the other apprentices were saying. Instead, she tried to listen to the conversation between Wigglytuff and Dusknoir.

"I see," Dusknoir said. "Well that must have been quite a disappointment for your guild!"

"Yes, that expedition was a waste of time!" Wigglytuff replied. "Didn't learn a thing about anything!"

"I had heard that Wigglytuff's Guild was mounting an expedition to find Fogbound Lake," Dusknoir said. "I came here hoping to hear about your latest triumph."

"Sorry!" Wiggltuff replied." As I said before, we didn't learn a thing!"

"It's no trouble to me at all!" Dusknoir said with a laugh. "This gave me an opportunity to visit you! I plan to stay in Treasure Town for a short while, and I plan to visit the guild occasionally during my stay? Your guild constantly receives the latest news. Good information would be a big help on my explorations! Is that alright with you?"

"No problem!" Wigglytuff said with a smile. "Other exploration teams visit us all the time. You're always welcome here!" Wigglytuff turned around to address the apprentices. "Everyone! This is Dusknoir! He's going to stay in Treasure Town for a while. Mind yourself around him! Dusknoir is very famous and quite knowledgeable, so I bet everyone would like to get advice from him! But let's not overdo it! We don't want to be a nuisance!"

"Our guest may be famous, but don't embarrass us by asking for autographs!" Chatot added.

"No, no!" Dusknoir said with a wave of his hand. "If it's autographs you want, I'm sure that I can oblige! But…information? I'm afraid you flatter me. I have very little information. However, I would be delighted if I may be of service to you. If there is anything you wish to ask of me, please don't hesitate."

"Yup, yup! It's a great honor!" Bidoof said cheerfully.

"Ooo! I'm so very glad to have met you!" Sunflora exclaimed.

"Come now, everyone!" Chatot said. "You're dismissed!"

"I think I'll go for a stroll in Treasure Town," Dusknoir said. "Please do feel free to approach me with anything. Good day!" With that Dusknoir left the building, and the apprentices set off to do their jobs.

"Oh! You two!" Chatot said when he noticed Xaira and Riolu. "I'd started saying earlier…about your assignment for today…Take some jobs from the Job Bulletin Board and the Outlaw Notice Board. That is all."

"Can you believe it?" Riolu asked as he and Xaira exited the guild. " A famous explorer is visiting our guild!"

"It certainly is something," Xaira replied. Riolu playfully shoved her shoulder.

"Can't you pretend to be at least a little excited?" he asked. "This is huge!" Xaira chuckled.

"Did you see the way Sunflora and Chimecho were looking at him?" she asked.

"The same way that Bidoof's been looking at you since the expedition," Riolu replied. "You left quite the impression on him!" Xaira gave him a look.

"Your point is?" she said.

"Hey, I was just saying," Riolu said, "Besides, I think he likes Sunflora more." Xaira rolled her eyes.

"Can we please change the subject?" she asked as they entered Spinda's Café.

"Xaira! Riolu!" Xaira glanced in the direction of the voice to see Wooper running up to them. "How did the expedition go." Xaira shrugged.

"It was a disappointment to be honest," she replied. Wooper frowned.

"I'm sorry to hear about that," he said, "I've been helping out with Project P here. We found a few new areas, but there wasn't as much treasure as we had hoped. Are you going to go do some jobs today?"

"Yep!" Riolu replied. "Would you like to come along?"

"Of course!" Wooper said. "Let's go!" The trio then left the café. The jobs that day were relatively simple, consisting of minor rescue missions, and there were few difficulties. That evening, Xaira and Riolu went straight to bed after dinner, unaware of what was taking place right outside the guild.

"Ch-Ch-Chief…We were really put in our place on that expedition." Zubat said as he and the rest of Team Skull approached the building.

"Wigglytuff wrecked us, and I'm not about to let it go!" Skuntank snapped. "I need payback one way or another. But to be brutally honest, we don't stand a chance against Wigglytuff. I'm so furious! It's burning me up!"

"There's gotta be some way we can get back at 'em" Koffing said thoughtfully.

"I'd settle for picking on wimps." Zubat commented. "Oh! Hey! Instead of Wigglytuff, how about we take revenge against Team Vatonage?"

"And we know that team Vatonage is wimpy!" Koffing added. Skuntank smiled.

"Great idea!" he said. "Time to do some plotting, boys!"

The next morning, after announcements, Xaira and Riolu were preparing for another day of work.

"You two!" Chatot said, hopping over to them. "Before you get to work today, I'd like you to run an errand."

"An errand?" Riolu said, turning to face him.

"Yes, an errand," Chatot replies. "Go to Kecleon Market and ask the owners if they plan to stock Perfect Apples."

"You want us to ask if they will stock Perfect Apples at Kecleon Market?" Riolu asked. Chatot nodded.

"Correct," he said. "The guild's storage holds many Perfect Apples. Or it can. But the Guildmaster raids the storage when we're not looking and uses up our supply. And you know what happens if the Guildmaster is deprived of his Perfect Apples!"

"Sounds like he has a problem to me," Xaira stated. Chatot gave her a sharp look, and Riolu elbowed her side, earning him a glare.

"As I was saying," Chatot continued, "having to search for a fresh load of them is always a chore. Sending an exploration team to Apple Woods when the supply runs out is just too much work."

"So, if Kecleon Market started stocking Perfect Apples, we could simply go buy them!" Riolu said.

"Precisely!" Chatot answered.

"OK," Riolu said with a nod. "We'll go visit the Kecleon Market."

"I need to get more Gummis for drinks anyway," Xaira stated.

"Great!" Chatot said cheerfully. "Way to take charge!" With that, Xaira and Riolu exited the guild and headed for Treasure Town. When they reached the Kecleon Market, Riolu noticed Dusknoir standing there.

"Hello there!" Dusknoir greeted as the two approached. "You're from the guild, if I'm not mistaken?" Riolu nodded.

"Yes. We're Team Vatonage," he replied. "We work at the guild. It's great to meet you! So what are you doing in town, Dusknoir, sir? Shopping?"

"No, no," Dusknoir replied. "Simply enjoying a chat!"

"I hailed him down!" the green Kecleon replied. "The great Dusknoir is so very famous. We started a conversation! And what a surprising talk! The great Dusknoir is so worldly and wise. I'm thoroughly impressed!"

"I guess the rumors are true!" Riolu said. "Dusknoir, sir, you must really be as knowledgeable as they say!"

"May I ask you, Riolu, what I can do for with you?" Kecleon asked, "Have you come to shop? Oh, yes! Fine merchandise! Fine wares!" Riolu shook his head.

"Sorry, no," he said. "We came to ask you something today, not shop. You see-"

"Actually, I'm here to shop," Xaira cut in. "Do you have any Gummis?"

"Planning a visit to Spinda's Café , are you?" Kecleon asked as he handed Xaira a bag of Gummies. She nodded.

"Riolu here's planning on accepting some escort missions," Xaira said. "I'm going to need all the Gummis I can get. Spinda's Café is the perfect place to be after a stressful day, after all."

"I perfectly understand," Kecleon said with a smile. "Now what did you need to ask us, Riolu?"

"Right," Riolu said. "Chatot wanted to know if you were planning on stocking Perfect Apples."

"Hmmmm. I see…Perfect Apples?" Kecleon asked. Riolu nodded. "I am sorry to disappoint you. We have no plans to stock Perfect Apples." Riolu sighed.

"Oh, all right," he said. "That's too bad. Chatot will be disappointed with this news…"

"Azurill, hurry!" a voice cried. Marril ran past, stopping a few steps away from the market to wait for his brother.

"Wait for me!" Azurill cried as he ran up to Marill.

"Marill and Azurill!" Kecleon called. "Well, hello to you both!"

"Oh! Hi, Kecleon brothers!" Azurill greeted.

"Oh! And Team Vatonage too!" Marill exclaimed.

"What's the rush?" Riolu asked.

"You know how we've been looking for our lost item?" Marill asked.

"Lost item?" Riolu repeated. "Do you mean the same one you were looking for before?"

"Yes!" Marill said with a nod. "An item called the Water Float!"

"A Water Float?" Dusknoir repeated. "Now that is quite the precious item!"

"Yes! That's why we've been looking hard for it a long time," Marill said.

"And then! Someone said they saw a Water Float on the beach today!" Azurill exclaimed.

"We're rushing to the beach now!" Marill stated. Meanwhile, two certain Pokémon watched the conversation take place.

"Juicy tidbit!" Zubat commented.

"Could be useful for our plan!" Koffing said.

"We'll bring the Chief up to speed, then get the jump on them." Zubat said, "Let's go." With that, the two Pokémon left the area.

"It's great that it finally turned up!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Yep!" Marill agreed. "It was nice talking to you!. Come on Azurill! Let's go quick!" The brothers scampered away to the beach.

"I was wondering how those little brothers were doing with their item search," Riolu said. "Good for them. Looks like they found it."

"I've never heard of a Water Float," Kecleon commented. "What purpose does it serve?"

"A Water Float is an item specifically for Azurill," Dusknoir explained. "It can be obtained only by trading precious treasures again and again. As such, it is said to be an exceedingly rare item."

"Our line of work is buying and selling!" Kecleon said. "But we have never heard of it. It must be exceedingly rare! To sell such a rare item! I'm afraid such a day will never come."

"To sell?" Riolu repeated. "Oh, I just remembered! We have to report back to Chatot about the Perfect Apples! Let's go back to the guild!" He broke into a run, heading back to the guild, Xaira following close behind him. Immediately upon arriving, Riolu explained the situation to Chatot.

"What?!" Chatot exclaimed. "They have no plans to stock Perfect Apples? What am I supposed to do now _?"_

"Um…We could go get some Perfect Apples for you at Apple Woods," Riolu suggested. Chatot flapped his wings.

"What?!" he exclaimed. "You're joking! You've previously gone to Apple Woods, and you failed utterly! I just can't take that! I just can't go through all that again!" Riolu looked down, and Xaira glared, deciding that it would be best at the moment to keep her mouth shut. Chatot sighed, noticing their expressions. "I'm sorry. You two were outstanding on our recent expedition. I recognize everything that you've done for us. But the incident with the Guildmaster and the Perfect Apples…It was a slightly traumatic experience for me. I suppose I'll have to find the Perfect Apples myself." He sighed once more. "You two should just look over the Job Bulletin Board and the Outlaw Notice Board as usual."

That evening, just as the apprentices were about to eat their dinner, Chatot stopped them.

"Hold on everyone!" he said. " Before we start dinner, there is something I must share with you." Xaira looked up at Chatot. Something was clearly bothering him, and something told her it defiantly had nothing to do with Perfect Apples. "Now we just received word of this…Another Time Gear has been stolen!"

"Another Time Gear?" Chimecho exclaimed.

"ANOTHER one got stolen?" Loudred cried.

"Uh, is it, maybe," Bidoof paused for a moment, almost afraid to ask, "the one in Fogbound Lake?" Chatot shook his head.

"No, it wasn't," he said. "The stolen Time Gear was not from Fogbound Lake. It's apparently from elsewhere. But that's the second Time Gear stolen. It would be extremely bad if a third were to be taken. Now rest assured that I have full confidence in you all. But I must make one thing very clear. You must never tell anyone what you witnessed during our expedition! Understood?" The room became filled with cries of protest.

"Of course!" Dugtrio exclaimed.

"I don't have a big mouth!" Loudred stated. Xaira rolled her eyes.

"Eeek! I would never forget the promise we made to Uxie!" Sunflora said. Chatot sighed.

"Ok! Ok!" he said. "Quiet, everyone! Sorry to keep you waiting. Without further ado…On your marks…get set…"

"CHOW!" the apprentices said together before eating their meal.

"Chatot said another Time Gear was stolen," Riolu said as he sat on his bed. "That's two now! I can't imagine who'd be stealing them! What would anyone want with Time Gears anyway? I just don't understand..."

"I don't know either," Xaira replied. ( _But at Fogbound Lake, when I saw the Time Gear, why did my heart start pounding so wildly?_ ) She shook her head. ( _I must be reading too much into this. My pulse raced when I saw a Time Gear…And the Time Gears being stolen…No, there's no connection at all._ ) All of a sudden, Xaira felt weak, and her head started pounding. A strange unnerving feeling came over her. She closed her eyes and grit her teeth.

"Xaira!" Riolu cried. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine," Xaira said. "I'm probably just tired. That's all." She laid down and closed her eyes. "I'll feel better in the morning." Riolu gave her an odd look.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Very," Xaira replied.

"You know," Riolu said. "when I think about it, I get this feeling that our expedition to Fogbound Lake took place a long time ago. Wasn't the view fantastic? It was like being in a dream." Xaira didn't answer. "I wonder how Uxie is doing. I wonder if he is well."

...

"Hmmm. I knew it. I knew I shouldn't have trusted them." Uxie lay on the ground, struggling to get up as he faced a shadowy figure in front of him. "I should have done it. I should have taken their memories when I had the chance!"

"I don't know exactly what you're talking about," the shadowy figure said, clutching the Time Gear, "but you're wrong. No one led me here. No one told me about this place. I've known about the presence of a Time Gear here…for a long time."


	12. The Water Float

**I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm working on a prequel for this game. However, you probably won't see it for a while. Because it will be spoiler heavy, I'll probably wait for a certain point in the story before I release it. Those of you who have played the game can probably guess when**.

 **Also, let me know if you see any mistakes. I usually type and edit this in between Splatoon matches(It's surprisingly helpful for motivating me), so I might have overlooked a few things.**

"You two! Team Vatonage!" Loudred called as he approached Riolu and Xaira, who were organizing the items in the Treasure Bag.

"What is it Loudred?" Riolu asked.

"You've got yourselves some visitors," Loudred told him. "They're waiting at the guild entrance. Go see them."

"Who could it be?" Riolu wondered. Xaira shrugged.

"We might as well find out," she answered. Upon exiting the guild. The duo were greeted by Marill and Azurill.

"Riolu and Xaira!" Marill exclaimed. "Hi there!"

"Oh! It's you little guys," Riolu said. "Are you our visitors?"

"There aren't exactly any other Pokémon around," Xaira commented. Riolu rolled his eyes.

"Yep!" Marill said with a nod. "We wanted to ask you for help."

" Help?" Riolu repeated. Marill nodded.

"We need your help finding a Water Float," he said.

"Weren't you looking for that yesterday?" Xaira asked.

"Yep!" Marill replied. "Someone said one was lying on the beach. We went there looking for it! Instead, this is what we found." He handed Riolu a piece of paper.

"This scrap of paper?" Riolu asked as he examined the paper. "There's writing on it." He began to read it aloud. "The Water Float on the beach is now in our possession. Just try and take it from us! We'll wait in the deepest part of Amp Plains. But knowing how weak and puny you are, I bet you can't even reach us! Can't handle it? Go cry to your big-shot friends!" Riolu quickly looked up from the note. "It's a ransom note!" he exclaimed. "Promise me you won't go anywhere near there! I suspect a trap."

"That may be," Xaira said, "But the real question here is: Who is the trap for?"

"What do you mean?" Riolu asked.

"Think about it," Xaira said, "The end of the note mentioned something about 'big shot friends'. It's possible that the writer knew that these two would come to us for help. I say that we don't do anything. Not yet."

"But," Marill sniffed, "the Water Float is very important to us. It was a gift from our mother you see, and we really want to get it back. But I can't take Azurill to a dangerous place."

"I said I would go too!" Azurill cried, a determined look on his features. Marill shook his head.

"It's too much for you," he said. "I don't want you getting into any scary scrapes. I went to Amp Plains by myself. But many Electric-type Pokémon live there! I'm no match for them." Riolu stepped forward.

"No problem!" he said with a reassuring smile. "We'll get the Water Float back for you. I promise!"

"What?!" Xaira exclaimed.

"Really?" Azurill asked.

"You will?" Marill asked.

"Yep!" Riolu said with a smile. "So no more tears."

"OK!" Marill said through a laugh. "W-we're sorry to bother you about this. Thank you!"

"You should see your faces!" Riolu said, chuckling." All that crying and laughing...C'mon! Don't worry though. We'll get it back for you. It's a promise! Let's go, Xaira!"

"Riolu, if this is a trap-" Xaira began as she and Riolu descended the stairs.

"Don't be so paranoid," Riolu interrupted. "Besides, even if this is a trap, it's the right thing to do."

"But is it the wise thing?" Xaira asked. Riolu shot her a stern look. Xara stopped walking. "I agree what happened was terrible, but we can't just run into this without a plan. What I'm trying to understand is why those kids didn't post this on the Job Bulletin Board."

"Xaira," Riolu said, "They're kids, and with their mother ill, they wouldn't be able to afford it." Xaira sighed.

"I guess there's only one problem left," she replied.

"What would that be?" Riolu asked. Xaira smiled.

"What we're going to say to Chatot after we skip an entire day of work," Xaira said simply. Riolu froze.

"We are going to be is so much trouble," he muttered.

"Not necessarily," Xaira said with a grin. "I just thought of something."

...

"You want me to WHAT?!" Wooper exclaimed after Xaira explained her plan to him.

"Just do a job or two," Xaira said with a shrug. "You can come right back to this café as soon as you're done. You can even keep the reward."

"But alone?" Wooper asked. "That's not possible!"

"I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't believe in you," Xaira replied. "I'll even buy you some Gummis later." Wooper sighed.

"I'll do it," he replied. "Blue Gummis are my favorite by the way."

"Thank you," Xaira said with a nod. "Good luck out there."

"So do you really think he can do it?" Riolu asked Xaira as soon as they were outside of the café.

"The kid's doomed," Xaira replied bluntly. Riolu's jaw dropped. "Now let's go." After a few hours of walking, Riolu and Xaira came across a flat, rocky area.

"This must be the entrance to Amp Plains," Riolu said, glancing around. He clenched his fist. "I can't imagine what sort of bullies would do something like this. I mean, threatening little kids like those brothers really stinks!" Xaira nodded.

"If I see them, I'll personally slam their face into one of these rock formations," she stated.

"Let's just focus on getting the Water Float back," Riolu said, shifting nervously.

...

Meanwhile, back at Treasure Town, Marill and Azurill were explaining the situation to Kecleon.

"Ah, I see!" the green Kecleon said. "That's what happened to your Water Float!"

"What a mean thing to do!" the violet one exclaimed. "So, Xaira's team is on the way there right now, yes?"

"Yep!" Azurill said.

"Good for you!" the green Kecleon said. "You can rest easy knowing Team Vatonage is on the case!"

"Yes, that's true!" Marill replied. "They once saved Azurill too. We're so grateful for their help!"

"Good day to you all," Dusknoir greeted as he approached the group of Pokémon. "Is something the matter?"

"Hello, Dusknoir, sir!" the green Kecleon said. "We're talking about Marill's lost item! Do you remember? We discussed the very same thing here not long ago."

"Of course," Dusknoir replied, nodding. "I believe that you are referring to the Water Float? I seem to recall you'd heard that it was on the beach."

"Exactly!" Kecleon said. "But now there is more to the story." He explained everything that had happened.

"I see. That is terrible indeed," Dusknoir said. "It's hard to imagine why anyone would do something so wretched. It must take some pathetic thugs to stoop so low."

"I just couldn't agree more!" the violet Kecleon exclaimed. "To be so mean spirited to children! And to children so young as these brothers! It's utterly unforgivable!"

"One more thing," Dusknoir said. "You mentioned Team Vatonage. Where have they gone? I don't believe that you told me."

"They went to Amp Plains," Marill answered. Dusknoir's eye widened.

"Pardon? Did you say Amp Plains?" he asked. "But in Amp Plains, at this time of year, it's the season for..." he trailed off for a moment. "No! this is ruinous! Team Vatonage is in grave danger!"

"What?!" Marill exclaimed.

"I must leave for Amp Plains immediately!" Dusknoir exclaimed as he left the area as quickly as possible.

"What?! Wait!" the green Kecleon called, but Dusknoir didn't even look back.

...

Xaira and Riolu had traveled quite far into Amp Plains. It was slightly more difficult than the duo was used to, but they still pushed forward.

"So," Xaira said. "Do you have any idea what this Water Float looks like?" Riolu shook his head.

"I was hoping that you would," he replied.

"Yes," Xaira said. "The amnesiac human would know what an ultra-rare item that can only be used by An Azurill looks like." Riolu grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry," he said. "Sometimes it's easy to forget what you really are."

"And what do we have here?" a voice called out. Riolu looked around.

"Who said that?" he asked.

"That would be me." A green and yellow Pokémon, who was about a foot taller than Xaira jumped down a nearby rock formation. With a large grin, he trotted up to Xaira.

"What brings you here?" he asked.

"Hello!" Riolu greeted, "We-"

"I was talking to the lady," the green Pokémon snapped. "I'm Electrike," he said, turning back to Xaira. "You are?" Riolu snorted.

"A lady?" he asked. "Her?" Xaira glared at him.

"I'm Xaira," she replied. Electrike smiled.

"Your parents must have been creative," he said. "You have no idea how hard it is to have the same name as almost every other Electrike. What brings you here?"

"We're an exploration team," Riolu explained as he stepped between the two. Electrike frowned. "You see, we're looking for something called a Water Float. Have you seen one?"

"Knowing our luck, it's probably in the deepest part of the plains," Xaira stated.

"Deepest part?" Electrike repeated. "I can escort you there. Follow close behind me."

"Thank you," Xaira said with a nod as they began to walk. "These mystery dungeons can be annoying to navigate. It makes me wonder what living in one is like."

"It's not too bad," Electrike replied. "In fact many wish to call this place home."

"I'd imagine," Xaira said, looking around. In all honesty, she couldn't see why. The place was almost completely barren. As she walked beside Electrike, she stared at the scar that ran across his left eye.

"Where did that scar come from?" Xaira asked.

"That's personal," Electrike replied. "What about your scars?"

"That's personal," Xaira stated. A slight smile formed on Electrike's face. Xaira slowed down so that she could walk alongside Riolu.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked.

"I don't like this guy," Riolu whispered to Xaira.

"And I do?" Xaira whispered back.

"He sure seems to like you," Riolu pointed out.

"And it's weird," Xaira said.

"Just imagine," Riolu said with a sly smile. "If you don't turn back to a human soon you'd eventually have to consider dating-" A look of horror and discust formed on Xaira's face.

"Don't even think about finishing that sentence," she growled. "Listen closely. I. Am. Human. Even if I am trapped in this body forever, I will still be human. As such, I will under no circumstances-"

"We're here," Electrike said, stopping suddenly. Xaira and Riolu glanced around. They were in an open area almost surrounded by cliff walls. The sky had gotten dark as it had been completely covered with storm clouds. Xaira could practically feel the electricity in the air.

"What a menacing place!" Riolu said. Lightning flashed, and Riolu nearly jumped out of his skin. "It's incredible! It looks like lightning can strike this place anytime! We should get away from this scary place as fast as..." Riolu trailed off, noticing something in the distance. "Is that it, Xaira? The Water Float? Let's get a closer look." They ran forward, but before they could get closer, a bolt of electricity struck in front of them.

"Why do you come here?" a voice asked. "This is our territory!" Glancing behind her, Xaira noticed that Electrike was nowhere to be seen.

"Well this is just perfect," she muttered.

"There's someone here!" Riolu exclaimed. "Hide, Xaira!" He proceeded to drag her behind one of the few rock formations.

"So you're going to hide like that?" the same voice asked. "That's almost adorable." Whoever was speaking chuckled. "We'd actually be grateful if you kept doing that. We'll sneak quietly to get as close as we can. All right, let's take them out!"

"If we stay here, it's over," Riolu whispered. "What do we do?"

"Who are you?!" Xaira asked. "Show yourself!" With that, several Pokémon like Electrike jumped down the cliff walls. Following them was a larger blue and yellow Pokémon.

"My name is Manectric!" the larger Pokémon said. "I am the leader of these Electrike!" Xaira noticed the Electrike that had guided them to the area in the crowd.

"You traitor!" she shouted.

"You're the ones trying to take control of our home!" Electrike shouted. "I had to lead you here!"

"When I get my hands on you-"

"Wait!" Riolu shouted. "You're making a mistake! We're here to get a lost item!"

"We wouldn't want this dry, dull place, anyway," Xaira said. "A quick glance behind you will prove our honesty."

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that?" Manectric asked. "Now prepare to fight!" Manectric lunged at Riolu, while Xaira was attacked by the horde of Electrike.

"Xaira!" Riolu shouted as he used Force Palm, "I could use some help here!"

"In case you haven't noticed," Xaira said as she dodged two Electrike, causing them to collide, "I'm a little busy right now!" She shoved another into the side of a cliff. Three fled, and Xaira took the opportunity to charge at Manectric, only to be stopped by the Electrike from before.

"I can't let you do that," he said. Xaira sighed, and proceeded to unleash a Quick Attack.

"Stand aside," she said.

"Never," Electrike replied, lunging at her and pushing her back slightly. They began to circle each other.

"Surrender," Electrike said.

"Not likely," Xaira replied. But before either could attack, there was a low rumbling sound. Xaira looked to the side to see several boulders sliding down the cliff's side. Reacting quickly, Xaira lunged forward, pushing Electrike out of harm's way. For a moment, Electrike simply stared at her.

"You-" he began. But before he could say any more, Xaira ran at Manectric again. Thinking quickly, Xaira unleashed a strong Tackle, knocking Manectric back. Blood dripped from his jaw.

"You..." he growled. "You dare?" Manectric sparkled with electricity.

"W-w-wait a second!" Riolu cried. "We honestly haven't come here to make any claims on our territory!

"Enough!" Manectric shouted. Out of nowhere, two Electrike attacked Xaira and Riolu, causing them to fall.

"Wait!" the Electrike Xaira had saved shouted. Manectric ignored him.

"Take this!" Manectric charged up an electrical attack. Xaira closed her eyes, bracing herself.

"Stop!" a familiar voice shouted. "Stop this instant!" Xaira slowly opened her eyes and looked up. Standing in front of her and Riolu was Dusknoir! "Their words are sincere! They trespass, but they don't intend to make claims on your territory!"

"Dusknoir!" Riolu exclaimed happily.

"Who are you?" Manectric asked, still furious.

"I am the explorer Dusknoir!" Dusknoir replied. "Manectric! You have every right to be angry! Especially in light of what your tribe has suffered on these grounds, your hostility toward any that trespass here is natural! This place is your haven! A place you find solace! On behalf of these unwitting trespassers, I offer the sincerest apology! They entered here unbidden, but did so without malice! They mean no harm! We will lead you in peace as soon as our errand is complete! Please believe me Manectric!" For a moment, Manectric was completely silent.

"Hmmm. You seem to know much about us, Dusknoir," he said." You make the claim that they mean no harm." Manectric nodded. "So be it! I choose to believe your words, Dusknoir. I will allow you some time. I expect you to be gone by our return." He nodded at the Electrike, "Come." With that Manectric and the Electrike climbed up the rocky slope.

"Thank you, Dusknoir, sir," Riolu said, standing up. "You saved us! But, who were they?"

"A group of Manectric and Electrike.," Dusknoir answered. "They are a nomadic tribe that's always on the move. They roam in constant search of the places that are hospitable to them. And Amp Plains is often lashed by thunderstorms this time of year. They find it to their liking, so they dwell in Amp Plains this time of year. But tragically, they were once attacked by enemies, the Luxio Tribe especially, here without warning, suffering terrible injuries. Ever since, Manectric's group has been very sensitive about trespassers here. So if anyone trespassed upon these grounds, well...they would strike first, for fear of being stricken! Somehow, at some point...That became a law among Manectric's group."

"Oh, I understand now," Riolu said with a nod. "That's why they were so intent on attacking. It's no wonder they refused to hear our arguments."

"I suppose I'd do the same in their position," Xaira said.

"Anyway," Riolu said, "I recall seeing the Water Float over there." The trio of Pokémon walked up to the item that Riolu had spotted earlier. Upon closer inspection, it was a yellow and blue ring that looked to be slightly wider than an Azurill. "Dusknoir, sir, is this the..."

"There's no mistaking it," Dusknoir answered. "Without a doubt, this is a Water Float."

"Really?" Riolu said, picking up the Water Float. "We did it! Let's return the item to Marill and his little brother right away!" Riolu frowned. "There's something I don't understand, though. How did this Water Float end up here?"

"I think it's pretty obvious," Xaira stated.

"What do you mean?" Riolu asked.

"I would imagine that it was put here deliberately," Dusknoir said. "Whoever did this knew that you would eventually get to this spot. The fact that Manectric protects this territory is fairly well known. Someone expected a confrontation between you and Manectric. You were set up." Dusknoir turned around. "Wasn't that your intention you sneaking scoundrels?!"

"What?" Riolu asked.

"It's about time that you came out from hiding and showed yourselves!" Dusknoir shouted.

"So you knew all along! No point in hiding, then!" a voice from behind a rock formation grumbled. Three Pokémon stepped out from behind the rock.

"Oh," Xaira said. "It's you. Of course."

"Team Skull?!" Riolu exclaimed. "But why?"

"We were going to wait for you to get stomped by Manectric," Koffing grumbled. "Then we were going to step in and mop up afterward!"

"But we didn't count on this guy meddling!" Zubat said, gesturing towards Dusknoir with his wing.

"Shall we settle this?" Dusknoir asked, floating forward.

"Sure, if it were just Team Vatonage," Skuntank replied, stepping back. "You can bet that we'd rough 'em up good! But against the world-famous Dusknoir? That's a different story! Let's skedaddle, boys!" With that the trio ran off,

"I'm never forgiving those thugs!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira began to run after them, but was stopped by Dusknoir.

"They certainly are quick when it comes to...skedaddling," Dusknoir commented. "I'm afraid our effort would be wasted if we were to give chase now. I think we should deliver the Water Float to the young brothers." The three Pokémon began to walk back to Treasure Town.

"Wait!"

"What do you want?" Xaira asked, turning to see the Electrike that guided them to the area.

"I," Electrike took a breath. "I wanted to apologize. I was just following orders. I'm sorry."

"You should be," Xaira said turning around. Electrike ran in front of her.

"I want to make it up to you!" he said. "I also want to repay you for saving my life. You say you're an exploration team right? Let me join! I'll do everything I can to assist you! Please." Riolu crossed his arms.

"What about your tribe?" he asked. Electrike sighed.

"I'm tired of living like this," he said. "I just want to settle down in one place without fearing being forced out. So please. Just give me a chance."

"Something tells me that you won't take no for an answer," Xaira said. She sighed. "Fine. We need more Pokémon on the team anyway." Electrike grinned.

"You won't regret this!" he said.

"But," Xaira said. "One slip up, and your back here." Electrike nodded.

"I understand," he said. "Anyway, I look forward to working with you." He winked at Xaira, who sighed in annoyance.

"Let's go," Xaira said. "The quicker we get to Treasure Town, the better."

...

The moment the group reached Treasure Town. Xaira sent Electrike on his way to the Chimecho Assembly and walked to the Kecleon Market with Riolu and Dusknoir. As they walked, Xaira noticed, much to her relief, that it was still daylight out. For a moment, she wondered if there was time to take on some job requests.

"Oh, wow! We got our Water Float back!" Azurill exclaimed as Riolu handed him the item. "Thank you! Really!"

"You saved Azurill way back when, and now this!" Marill exclaimed. "I don't know how we could ever thank you!"

"Oh, please! It's okay!" Riolu said with a wave of his hand. "If you want to thank anyone, thank the great Dusknoir! If Dusknoir hadn't been there, we wouldn't be here now!" The brothers turned to Dusknoir.

"Thank you very much!" Marill said.

"Thank you, Dusknoir, sir!" Azurill chirped. Dusknoir shook his head.

"No trouble at all," he said. "I'm very happy for you. It's wonderful that your Water Float has come back to you."

"It is so like the great Dusknoir to be so modest!" the green Kecleon said cheerfully." And I must say that Team Vatonage has also been superb!" The violet Kecleon nodded.

" After all, the team has again completed a difficult job!" he said. "When rescuing Azurill, you were so fast at pinpointing the child's whereabouts! And so fast at reaching our friend too!" For a moment, Dusknoir seemed impressed.

"Oh...about the Azurill rescue," Riolu said, scratching the back of his head. "It would be great if it truly happened the way Kecleon said. But that's not really the truth. We didn't pin down Azurill's location before we rescued him. My friend here just happened to see it in a dream."

"Riolu!" Xaira hissed.

"Excuse me? A dream you say?" Dusknoir said, looking very interested. "By dream, what do you mean?"

"Oh! That's right! Maybe Dusknoir will know what it all means!" Riolu said. He turned to Xaira. "Do you mind if we ask him?"

"Why not?" Xaira grumbled.

"You see," Riolu said, "my friend occasionally gets strange dizzy spells when touching something or someone. And then she sees or hears events that happened in the past! Or just about to happen in the future!" Dusknoir's eye widened.

"What?!" he exclaimed. "Well, that's the Dimensional Scream!"

"You really know something about this?!" Xaira exclaimed.

"Hey, Xaira," Riolu whispered. "Do you think we should ask him about your other problem?" Xaira thought for a moment this could be her big break. On the other hand, Dusknoir could possibly think that she was simply insane. As soon as these doubts formed, she pushed them away. She knew that she would probably not have a chance like this again. Xaira nodded.

"What's the worst that could happen?" she said.

"Dusknoir, sir, we were wondering if we could get your advice about something," Riolu said.

"But not here," Xaira added quickly. "I don't want many Pokémon to here this."

...

"I see," Dusknoir said as he stared at the place Riolu had found Xaira. "So you found our friend unconscious right here." Riolu nodded.

"Yes, right here exactly," he said.

"Then you regained consciousness," Dusknoir continued, repeating the story they had told him. "Though you'd lost your memory."

"That's right," Riolu said. "She could only remember her name, and the fact that she was human before this!" Dusknoir quickly looked at Xaira.

"I beg your pardon?!" he exclaimed. "H-human?! But she seems to be a Pokémon in every obvious way!"

"That's true," Riolu said with a frown. "I didn't believe it myself at first. But we're certain that something caused her memory loss and caused the transformation from human to Pokémon!"

"A human...with the Dimensional Scream ability," Dusknoir muttered, his hand on his chin. "You are? You said you know your name at least? Forgive me, but I don't believe that you or anyone else has told me."

"Xaira," Xaira replied. "My name is Xaira." Dusknoir stared at her for a moment.

"Ah I see," he said. "You're Xaira."

"Does that name mean anything to you?" Riolu asked. "Do you recall hearing it anywhere?" Dusknoir shook his head.

"No," he said. "It means nothing to me unfortunately." For a moment, Xaira could have sworn that Dusknoir's eye glimmered. "I'd remember a human. After all, they are quite the rare sight these days. From what I hear, they are usually nomadic and reside in well-hidden areas. As such finding her family and friends would be no easy task. In addition, I cannot say that I know of a good place to start in regaining her memory. I am sincerely sorry."

"It's alright," Xaira said. "I wouldn't expect you to."

"However," Dusknoir said. "I do know about the ability that Xaira possesses."

"Oh, really?!" Riolu exclaimed. "What is it?!"

"The ability to see the future or the past by touching something is known as the Dimensional Scream," Dusknoir said.

"Dimensional...Scream?" Riolu repeated.

"Indeed," Dusknoir said. "It's incredibly rare, and it is unknown how one can learn such an ability or if it can be learned at all. One of the only things that is known about it is that sounds and images slice across the boundaries of time and space, breaching objects and reaching into those with the Dimensional Scream to manifest as visions."

"So Xaira has an ability as special as the Dimensional Scream," Riolu said, staring at Xaira.

"Well, perhaps this is why we became friends," Dusknoir said. "To help unravel the secret of Xaira's transformation into a Pokémon. I offer you my full cooperation!"

"Oh! You will?!" Riolu asked. Xaira smiled.

"Thank you," she said. "Seriously, I'll owe you for this!"

"No, no," Dusknoir said. "The knowledge I gain from this experience will be reward enough!" He chuckled. "To be perfectly candid, I can't stand knowing that there's something I don't know! That is the full truth about it!"

"It's thrilling to know that we have your help, Dusknoir, sir!" Riolu cheered. " Isn't this great, Xaira?" Before she could reply, Xaira noticed a large shadow on the ground. She looked up to see a large flock of Pelipper circling in the air. Riolu did the same.

" Hey! Look at all the Pelipper!" he exclaimed. "There appears to be a lot more in the air than usual."

"Could something be the matter?" Dusknoir asked. A strange feeling of dread filled Xaira.

"Hey!"

Xaira looked to the side and watched as Bidoof ran towards her, Riolu and Dusknoir. As he got closer, Xaira noticed that Bidoof looked very frantic.

"Hello, Bidoof!" Riolu said cheerfully.

"I f-finally...f-found you all." Bidoof panted.

"What's the big hurry?" Riolu asked. "You're all out of breath." Bidoof took a moment to catch his breath.

"The call had been put out!" he cried. "All the apprentices are to report to the guild immediately!"

" Something's up!" Riolu muttered.

"I will go with you!" Dusknoir said. "This may be important."

"Hurry everyone!" Bidoof said as he rushed to the guild, the others following behind him.


	13. Grovyle the Thief

_**I just wanted to let you know that I posted the first chapter of the prequel. If you want to, take a look at it and tell me what you think!**_

* * *

"What exactly is going on?" Xaira asked.

"I don't know! I ran to get you before I had the chance to find out." Bidoof said as he, Xaira, Riolu, and Dusknoir rushed into the guild. Quickly, they climbed down the ladder and entered the upper underground floor where everyone was gathered by the Outlaw notice Board "Everyone's here! Yup, yup!"

"Sorry everyone!" Riolu said as they approached the group of Pokémon. "We just got told the call went out, so we came running! What's going on?" Xaira could feel the anxiety and dread in the room.

"Another Time Gear was stolen!" Chatot exclaimed. Xaira noticed that Chatot looked very distressed, even more than he did the last two times this had happened.

"Not another one!" Bidoof cried.

"From where now?" Riolu asked. "Where was this Time Gear stolen from?"

"Well, it…" Chatot trailed off.

"Uh…what's the problem?" Bidoof asked. Did it happen somewhere you don't want to talk about?"

"Wait," Xaira said, hoping that she would be wrong. "Don't tell me it was the one from-"

"Yes," Sunflora interrupted, her expression grim, "it was! This time, the Time Gear from Fogbound Lake was stolen."

"B-but, how?!" Riolu exclaimed. "The Time Gear that was at Fogbound Lake…Only we knew about it, right? So how could this happen?! It couldn't be…that a member of the guild talked, could it?!" All the apprentices glared at him, save for Xaira, who was deep in thought.

"WHAT?!" Loudred exclaimed. "That was uncalled for!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Corphish shouted. "Don't trust your fellow members?!" Riolu looked down, embarrassed.

"Urk! Sorry!" he apologized. "That was uncalled for, you're right. No one would break our vow of secrecy. It'd just never happen! I should have thought before I spoke. I'm sorry."

"Well, it's no wonder that you'd leap to that conclusion!" Sunflora spoke up. "This horrible thing did happen after our expedition."

"Just one moment!" Dusknoir said, stepping forward. "I'm afraid I don't quite understand. There was a Time Gear at Fogbound Lake? I did not know that. Did I not hear quite a different tale about your recent expedition? I recall being told that your expedition ended in failure."

"I apologize," Wigglytuff said. "We made a promise. So we couldn't even tell you, Dusknoir."

"Anyway," Chatot said." A lone intruder slipped into Fogbound Lake, knocked out Uxie, and made off with the Time Gear."

"Uxie!?" Riolu exclaimed. " Is Uxie all right?!"

"Yes," Chatot answered. "Uxie is fine."

"He's under the protection of Magnezone's squad," Wigglytuff explained. "No need to worry!" Riolu sighed in relief.

"I'm glad to hear that!" he said.

"There's more," Chatot said. "According to Uxie's victim statement, the intruder's identity has been revealed."

"Then fess up!" Bidoof demanded. "What kind of critter are we dealing with?"

"There's already a wanted poster up for the thief," Chatot said. "See for yourselves." Xaira, Dusknoir, Riolu, and Bidoof approached the Outlaw Notice Board. There, in the center was a poster depicting a green, reptilian Pokémon with golden eyes.

"So this Pokémon goes by the name of Grovyle," Riolu said, reading the poster.

"That's one nasty piece of work!" Bidoof stated.

"So this is the Pokémon who's stealing the Time Gears," Xaira muttered, "But why? What would he have to gain?" Dusknoir remained silent, string at the poster in evident anger.

"This wanted poster just arrived," Chatot explained. "It was issued based on Uxie's statement. It arrived as part of an all-points bulletin."

"Oh, that figures!" Bidoof said. "That's why all those Pelipper were flying around!"

"Officer Magnezone obviously doesn't want to see things worsen," Chatot said. "They've put a remarkably high bounty on the thieving Grovyle."

"We promised Uxie," Riolu said, looking glum. "We promised not to reveal the secret of Fogbound Lake. But then this happens…."

"We didn't leak the secret, but I'm ashamed to show my face in front of Uxie now!" Sunflora replied.

"Hey, hey! Here's what sticks in my craw!" Corphish exclaimed. "The view there has been ruined! I just can't forgive that!" Wigglytuff began to shake.

"The view?!" Xaira exclaimed, whirling around to face him. "That's what you're worried about?! From what I hear, these Time Gears keep Time in balance! Without them, time will stop! I don't know about you, but I don't exactly want to live on a planet frozen in time! It'll be a matter of years, or possibly decades, before we all run out of food and starve to death! The planet, and we by extension, is in danger! And all you can think about is the view?!" The ground began to rumble slightly.

"You think I don't know that?!" Corphish asked. Xaira stepped forward to say something else.

"YOOM…TAH!" Wigglytuff shouted, interrupting her. Everyone in the room turned to face him. "Everyone we'll catch Grovyle! I'll stake the reputation of Wigglytuff's Guild on it! Chatot! If you will!"

"Y-yes!" Chatot stuttered, nodding. "OK everyone, from here on out, we are putting our full focus on capturing Grovyle! Do your best to bring Grovyle to justice!"

"It goes without saying!" Loudred shouted.

"There's no way we can let any more Time Gears be stolen!" Corphish added.

"If he threatens the planet, he threatens all of us," Xaira stated. "Let's take him down!"

"C'mon, everyone!" Sunflora said. "Let's pull together! Let's do it for Uxie!" Riolu nodded.

"Yes, for Uxie!" he cried.

"Wigglytuff. I believe I understand the situation now," Dusknoir stated, floating forward. "I will join in your guild's pursuit of Grovyle."

"Thank you, great Dusknoir!" Wigglytuff said with a nod.

"Golly!" Bidoof said. "Having the great Dusknoir in our corner is mighty heartening!"

"Hey, hey! We're honored!" Corphish cheered.

"We really are!" Riolu agreed.

"No, no! It's my honor entirely." Dusknoir said.

"At present, the Guildmaster and I shall confer!" Chatot said, addressing the apprentices. "We will devise a strategy for finding Grovyle. In the meantime! You all should start preparing to go on searches! Return here when you are ready to leave. OK, everyone! Let's outdo ourselves!" The apprentices all made their way to Treasure town in one large group before branching off to gather supplies. As she and Riolu shopped, Xaira couldn't help but feel distracted. Maybe it was because of the third stolen Time Gear, but Xaira felt a restlessness come over her, as if something was about to strike.

"I think that's everything," Riolu said as he pulled several Oran Berries out of the storage. "We should head back."

"I'll catch up to you," Xaira said. I'll only be a moment."

"Are you sure?" Riolu asked, a worried look forming on his featured. Xaira nodded.

"I won't be long," she said, walking away.

"All right then," Riolu said, "I'll meet you back at the guild." Xaira kept walking until she came across a cliff. Sitting on its edge, she stared at the ocean. As she stared, she couldn't help but feel something was out there, calling to her.

"There you are," she heard a voice say. She looked over her shoulder, noticing Dusknoir approaching. "I was worried when Riolu showed up without you. And when he said you were acting strangely, I felt that I must speak with you."

"Hello Dusknoir," Xaira said. "Have you finished preparing for the search for Grovyle?" Dusknoir stood beside her and nodded.

"I have just finished speaking with Wigglytuff and Chatot about the best course of action," he replied. "May I ask what you are doing here?"

"Thinking," Xaira said. "I guess that uncovering my past will have to wait."

"It appears that way," Dusknoir said. "But do not worry. I promise that I will assist you in uncovering who you really are. Shall we head back to the guild? Riolu is very worried about you."

"He really looks up to you, you know," Xaira commented.

"Does he now?" Dusknoir asked. "I always believed that you are the one he looks up to. Bidoof, Marill, and Azurill seem to as well." Xaira let out a short laugh.

"So I have a fan club now?" she said. "Watch out Dusknoir, you might have some competition for the best explorer in Treasure Town. The great Xaira has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Dusknoir chuckled.

"Indeed it does," he said. "Now let's go. The rest of the guild members are waiting for you."

…

"It looks like everyone is here," Chatot said as Xaira and Dusknoir entered the guild's upper underground floor. "All right everyone, gather around!" The apprentices immediately lined up in front of Chatot. Chatot cleared his throat. "First and foremost! This should go without saying, but Grovyle appears wherever the Time Gears are located. But where are the Time Gears? That is the question! But we have no answer. And therefore, we have relied upon the great Dusknoir for ideas. Together, we've identified several locations where the Time Gears may be found. We ask that everyone split into groups and investigate each of these potential sites. First, Loudred and Corphish! I'm assigning you to the Eastern Forest."

"Got it!" Loudred said with a nod.

"We'll do our best!" Corphish said.

"Next, Bidoof, Dugtrio, and Sunflora!" Chatot announced. "We'd like you to search Crystal Cave."

"Understood." Dugtrio said.

"And finally, Xaira and Riolu! You two are assigned to the Northern Desert."

"The Northern Desert?" Riolu repeated.

"Correct," Dusknoir said. "It is located north of the waterfall and near Amp Plains. A vast desert extends from the point the dry terrain starts. We suspect that a Time Gear is hidden in the depths of the desert."

"Okay," Riolu said, nodding. "We understand."

"Um, what about me?" Diglett asked.

"You will remain at the guild," Chatot answered. "We can't very well leave the guild unattended." Diglett sighed, disappointed.

"Croagunk and I are staying behind at the guild too," Chimecho said gently. "The work we do at the guild is important. Let's make sure we keep up our good work!"

"Alright," Diglett said, nodding eagerly, "I will."

"Now, let's find the Time Gears, everyone!" Wigglytuff cheered. After they were dismissed, the apprentices headed out on their searches. Before Xaira and Riolu could leave, however, they were stopped by Dusknoir.

"The Northern Desert is not only wide and deep, it is raked by vicious sandstorms," he warned. "Please, do take care!" Riolu grinned.

"Will do!" he said. "Thank you!" With that he and Xaira left the building. After walking for a while, the duo came arrived at the desert's edge.

"The Northern Desert is through here," Riolu said as he stared at the seemingly endless expanse of sand. "If a Time Gear really is here, Grovyle should show up here for sure." Xaira nodded.

"Let's get this over with," Xaira said, glancing around. "I don't like being in the open like this." As the two walked through the desert, Xaira decided that she had never been more miserable. It was ridiculously hot, and there was no oasis to found. Sand was everywhere, getting stuck in between her toes, and when the sandstorms hit, it got in her ears and eyes. Needless to say, she became more irritable as time went on.

"We shouldn't have sent Wooper to do those jobs," Xaira said as she attempted to brush the sand off her fur with her paw. "He would have been useful."

"Agreed," Riolu said with a nod. "At least the sandstorms let up." Xaira glanced at the sky. It was sunset.

"We should hurry," she said. "As pretty as it is at this time, I'd rather not be here in the dark." Riolu nodded. Xaira glanced around, observing the area she was in. It had gotten considerably rocky, and odd patches of sand were scattered about. Xaira glanced back at Riolu, who had stopped walking and was staring at a considerably large patch of odd sand.

"It's quicksand," Riolu said as Xaira stood beside him. Upon closer inspection, the sand in and close to the patch looked as if it were being sucked underground. "From the looks of it, there are patches of it everywhere. They're like sand whirlpools, and we'll be pulled in if we get too close." As Riolu spoke, Xaira began to drift off to her thoughts. She had a strange feeling, similar to the one she had at Fogbound Lake, that she had been there before.

( _I…I know this place! Maybe I have only heard of this place, but it seems like I've been here before. I can't tell which. Either way, I do know this place_.)

"Listen Xaira!" Riolu said waving his hand in front of her face and looking concerned. "What's the matter? You were off in your own thoughts there."

"I was just thinking," Xaira said, only half listening to Riolu. Riolu shrugged.

"Well, there seems to be nothing here," Riolu said, glancing around one last time. "How disappointing! Let's report our findings to the guild." Before Xaira could protest, Riolu gently shoved her forward. "Let's hurry!"

…

"So everyone's back from their searches, but nobody found anything?" Riolu asked as the apprenticed gathered in the guild's upper underground floor.

"Disappointing," Dugtrio said with a nod.

"That's what happened all right." Sunflora said.

"We went out to the Eastern Forest just like we were told!" Corphish chimed in. "But, hey! There's nothing really there but the forest!"

"As for Crystal Cave, it was chock full of crystals!" Bidoof said. "Mighty pretty cave, I tell you! It was so pretty that I just couldn't help…helping myself to a crystal!" Sunflora quickly turn to stare at him.

"When did you pick that up?" she asked incredulously. "I was with you the whole time! I never noticed!" Dugtrio gave Bidoof a stern look.

"Bidoof," he said. It was evident that he was trying to refrain from raising his voice. "Our objective was to find a Time Gear. We failed to achieve our objective, but you had the nerve to pick up a souvenir, totally unrelated to the mission? Who do you think you are?!"

"Gosh, I'm sorry!" Bidoof said, the grin fading from his face. "I just wanted a tiny treasure for myself, that's all…"

"Dusknoir sir," Chatot said, "I regret to say it. Our search efforts ended fruitlessly."

"This is vexing," Dusknoir said. "I thought the search locations we chose held promise. I blame my lack of knowledge. I am truly chastened." Chatot quickly shook his head.

"My goodness, no!" Chatot exclaimed. "You mustn't blame yourself! Why, it was thanks only to your knowledge that we came up with our plan, Dusknoir!"

"Kiss up," Xaira muttered.

"Nonetheless, our efforts have ended in failure," Dusknoir said. "That's a fact. But being hard on ourselves is pointless. Let us reconsider our plan. We'll devise a different strategy tomorrow!" Chatot nodded.

"Yes, let's do that!" he said. "And may we find success together! That's how it stands, everyone! That's enough work for today. Rest up! Prepare for tomorrow!"

…..

"Ahem! And that brings us back to today," Chatot said the next morning. "Presently, the great Dusknoir and I are working out a new strategy. While we develop this strategy, we ask you to search for the Time Gears on your own initiative. That is all. All right, everyone! Work hard again today!"

"We're supposed to search on our own today, Xaira. Where should we go?" Riolu asked. Xaira didn't answer as she was lost in thought.

( _I wonder…We can search all we want, but we don't have a clue. Oh! Wait a second! Yesterday at the quicksand pits, we assumed that it was a dead end for our search. But maybe there really are secrets there_.)

"What's the matter?" Riolu asked, snapping Xaira out of her thoughts. Are you off in another daydream?"

"We need to go back to the quicksand pits," Xaira stated.

"But we were there yesterday! We couldn't find anything."

"I had the same feeling I had back at Fogbound Lake. There has to be something we're missing." Riolu thought for a moment before nodding.

"In that case, it may be worth a look," he said. "Let's go back, then." The two began their journey to the desert.

"It still seems like there's nothing here," Riolu said when they arrived. "Just this white sand stretching in front of us. And quicksand pits…obviously."

( _It's very faint, but I can still feel it._ ) Xaira thought. ( _This place, I know it somehow. But looking out over this, I have to admit Riolu's right. There is nothing here but the desert and the quicksand pits. And aside from those pits, there's nothing…._ )

"That's it!" she exclaimed.

"What?" Riolu asked.

"If there's only quicksand," she said, (that's the key to this mystery. There's no way forward…or is there?"

"I'm not following," Riolu said, shaking his head.

"We need to jump into it," Xaira stated.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "Are you serious, Xaira?! Are you seriously suggesting that we jump in?!" Xaira stared at the quicksand pit, thinking. There was defiantly something odd about it. And she did get the feeling that something was indeed down there the more she looked at it. But was it really the way forward?

"Well," Xaira said slowly, "If it isn't the way forward, we die." Riolu looked even more worried. "But. If it is, and Grovyle gets there first and steals the Time Gear, time will freeze, and we will probably die. That, and it would be our fault that another Time Gear is stolen. You don't have to believe me, but I feel as if there is something down there. The choice is yours." Riolu thought for a moment before nodding.

"OK," he said. "I trust you, Xaira." He smiled. "It's all thanks to you that I've come so far. During our first exploration, I put my faith in you that time too. I was able to go on then because you helped me be courageous. My feelings haven't changed since then. So let's go for it! Let's jump into that quicksand pit!"

"You first," Xaira said. Riolu rolled his eyes.

"Not likely," he said. "We go together. One…two...three! Go!" The two Pokémon ran towards the largest patch of quicksand, going under quite quickly.

…..

"Ow! My backside!" Riolu exclaimed as he hit the sandy floor. Standing up, he looked around. "Wh-where are we? Is this a cave?" Xaira looked up and stared at the ceiling, which had several streams of sand pouring from it. Rays of sunlight leaked through it.

"I'd say we're directly beneath the quicksand pits," she said. She looked around. "But if that's correct, shouldn't there be more sand pouring down here? Could that quicksand have been an illusion?"

"You were right!" Riolu exclaimed with a laugh, shaking Xaira slightly by the shoulders. "The secret swirled within the quicksand! Let's move it! Let our Time Gear search begin!"

To Xaira's annoyance, the cave was even more annoying than the desert. While there was less sand, the cave was dark, and because of the Ground-Type Pokémon that lived there, Xaira still got sand in her eyes. The only positive thing Xaira could think of at the moment was that, similarly to the area before Fogbound Lake, Xaira felt more energized as she walked on. Eventually, she and Riolu came across an underground lake. That, and she had learned Take Down, but at the time, it seemed hardly important to her.

"Th-this is…fantastic!" Riolu exclaimed. I didn't expect to see this huge lake sprawling underground." Xaira noticed a bluish green light at the lake's center.

"Is that-"

"It's the same kind of light that we saw at Fogbound Lake!" Riolu interrupted. "That means that light could be coming from a Time Gear! We need to get a closer look at it, Xaira!" But before they could get any closer, all light in the room faded. "Wah! It went dark!"

"Wait!" a feminine voice called. "Who are you?!"

"Who said that?" Riolu asked, looking around.

"Why…why did you come here?" The voice asked.

"We just came to look for a Time Gear!" Riolu answered. Xaira stomped on his foot. The light returned to the room. Standing there was a pink and grey Pokémon who looked similar to Uxie.

"Stay away from the Time Gear!" she said. "If you won't leave the Time Gear alone, I'll stop you!"

"Who…who are you?" Riolu asked.

"I'm Mesprit!" the Pokémon answered. "Here at the deep Underground Lake, I protect the Time Gear!"

"Protect the Time Gear?!" Riolu repeated.

"Good," Xaira said, "Then you should know-"

"I won't allow you to disturb the Time Gear!" Mesprit interrupted.

"That's not-" Riolu began before Mesprit unleashed Swift on him.

"It's no good," Xaira said. "We'll have to take her down!" Mesprit aimed a blast of her psychic energy at Xaira, but Xaira leapt away just in time. Riolu snuck up behind Mesprit and used Quick Attack, and threw a Blast Seed before Mesprit had the chance to counter. Recovering quickly, Mesprit telekinetically threw Riolu across the room. Xaira jumped in to battle unleashing her newly learned Take Down, which did a nice amount of damage. She followed up the move with Quick Attack. Mesprit readied another attack, but was stopped by Riolu using a Stun Seed. Riolu then knocked her to the ground with Force Palm.

"Now will you please listen?!" Riolu said. "We didn't come here to steal your Time Gear! "

"Don't lie to me!" Mesprit said angrily, attempting to get up. "Uxie told me what happened! I know the Time Gear rom Fogbound Lake was stolen!" Xaira's eyes widened,

"What? You heard it from Uxie?" Riolu asked. "How?"

"That was your doing, wasn't it?!" Mesprit asked, floating in the air, preparing to fight again. Xaira noticed that she looked very exhausted. Riolu shook his head.

"No! We didn't do it!" he cried. "Honestly!"

"Then who's responsible?!" Mesprit asked.

"That would probably be…me." A new voice answered. Xaira and Riolu quickly turned around. Standing behind then was a green Pokémon.

"Who are you?!" Mesprit demanded.

"G-Grovyle!" Riolu exclaimed.

"So you're Grovyle," Xaira said. "You're not nearly as impressive as I thought you'd be." It was true. As sinister as he looked on the wanted poster, the real thing looked nowhere near as intimidating. That wasn't to say he looked like the friendly sort. Far from it, in fact.

"I must apologize, but I will be taking that Time Gear," Grovyle said, ignoring her. He stepped forward roughly shoving Xaira and Riolu to the side. He looked Mesprit directly in the eye. "Stand aside."

"I…I won't!" Mesprit declared. "I won't let you take the Time Gear!"

"I have no choice then," Grovyle said before swiftly knocking Mesprit to the side and causing her to fall to the ground.

"Mesprit!" Riolu cried as he rushed to her side. Xaira stood her ground, glaring at the Grass-Type Pokémon.

"You lost that fight," Grovyle said, glancing at Mesprit from the corner of his eye. "You sustained serious damage. So don't push it." Grovyle began to approach the lake, but before he could move any further, Riolu and Xaira blocked his path, ready to fight.

"You're not getting by us!" Riolu stated. "We won't let you take the Time Gear!" Grovyle closed his eyes, letting out a frustrated sigh.

"All right," he said. "Sorry for this." Swiftly, he attacked Xaira and Riolu, causing them to fall to the ground.

"Ugh! He's so…fast!" Riolu muttered attempting to stand up.

"Forgive me," Grovyle said. "I have no quarrel with any of you. But I'm taking that Time Gear." Grovyle approached the water and dove into the lake, swimming across it swiftly. Xaira stood up, attempting to follow him, but by the time she got to the lakes edge, Grovyle was already at the center.

"I…I'm sorry," Mesprit said. "Uxie must not have been talking about you. It was that Pokémon. I'm sorry for doubting you." Xaira watched in horror as Grovyle grabbed the Time Gear. As the glowing light faded, Xaira felt a horrible pain shoot through her head, causing her to fall to the ground

"Xaira!" Riolu cried, managing to stand up. He rushed to her. "Are you alright?" Xaira stood once more, but before she could answer, the ground began to shake, and the colors in the area began to fade.

" Oh! This is bad," Mesprit muttered, attempting to stand. Riolu rushed to her side to help her up. "We have to get out of here!"

"Wh-why? What's happening?!" Riolu asked.

"Time will stop all around the Underground Lake!" Mesprit replied.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira stepped forward.

"If we don't hurry, we'll be trapped in time!" Mesprit cried. "Hurry! Run with all your might!" Though Riolu and Mesprit were injured and Xaira was disoriented, they ran(or floated in Mesprit's case) as fast as they could out of the Underground Lake area. Mesprit guided them to a secret passage that lead to the surface. Even then, the group didn't stop running. They continued to flee until they were a considerable distance from the quicksand pits.

"We should be fine now," Mesprit said, panting. "Let us rest before going on." Slowly, she lowered to the ground.

"Do you think Grovyle made it out?" Riolu asked.

"Most likely," Xaira stated. Suddenly, she kicked some sand. "We let him get away." Riolu said nothing, staring at the ground.

"Don't be so hard on yourselves," Mesprit said. "If I had listened to you, we may have not been in this situation."

"Are you alright, Xaira?" Riolu asked. "Back at the lake, you looked pretty hurt."

"I'm fine," Xaira stated.

"Mesprit," Riolu said turning his attention to the pink and grey Pokemon. "May I ask you something?"

"You may," Mesprit replied.

"How is it that you knew that Fogbound Lake's Time Gear was stolen? I understand that Uxie told you but-"

"He alerted me with telepathy," Mesprit answered.

"That's amazing!" Riolu exclaimed.

"It would have been nice if he had added a description of the thief along with that message," Xaira muttered.

"The connection felt weak," Mesprit stated. "He must not have had the energy to do so."

"I suppose that makes sense," Xaira said. "We should hurry back to Treasure Town and report what happened. Hopefully, the others found something."

"I'll come with you," Mesprit said. "I can't go back to my lake. Not now."

"Fine by me," Xaira said. "Now let's go. The sooner we get there, the better."


	14. The Only Option

_**Ugh. I'm not too sure about the fight scene in this chapter. Oh well. If I can think of something better, I'll edit it. On the bright side, the part of the game I'm most excited about adapting is coming up. Tell me what you think of the story so far. And please inform me of any mistakes.**_

* * *

"Thank you for helping with our criminal investigation!" Magnezone said after the events at the Underground Lake were reported. "We have Mesprit under our protection. Her safety is assured. We are dedicating all resources to the pursuit of Grovyle. If you come across any information related to this case, please let us know. Now please excuse us!" With that he and the Magnemite left the guild. Chatot and the apprentices gathered around Xaira and Riolu.

"I'm absolutely astonished!" Chatot exclaimed. "So there was a lake deep under the Northern Desert? And a Time Gear was down there?" Riolu nodded glumly.

"Yes. But Grovyle stole it," he said.

"We couldn't even slow him down," Xaira grumbled. "In the end, it's the same as doing nothing at all." Bidoof shook his head.

"That's not true, by golly!" he said. "You all did great work!"

"Hey, hey! I think so too!" Corphish chimed in. "Team Vatonage can be really proud!" His smile faded. "But it's a shame about this whole thing. There's no clue telling us what to do next."

"I must agree," Dugtrio spoke up. "We have no way of knowing where Grovyle will strike next."

"Maybe not," Dusknoir said. "Not necessarily." Xaira noticed that he stared at her as he said this, and knew exactly what he was thinking.

"Dusknoir, sir," Chatot said. "What do you mean by that?"

"There are some clues," Dusknoir explained. "One Time Gear was at fogbound Lake, guarded by Uxie, correct? Another Time Gear was at the Underground Lake, guarded by Mesprit."

"Oh! That reminds me!" Riolu said. "Mesprit told us something interesting! Mesprit knew that the Time Gear from Fogbound Lake was stolen." The apprentices stared at him, shocked. "Uxie alerted her by telepathy!"

"Incredible!" Dugtrio exclaimed.

"Now that IS really something!" Loudred agreed. Dusknoir paused for a moment, thinking.

"I should have known," he said. "There is an ancient legend. It is believed that Uxie is the Being of Knowledge. And that Mesprit is the being of Emotion. But three Pokémon in total represent the spiritual world and are said to keep the world in balance."

"Three?" Riolu repeated. "So besides Uxie and Mesprit, there's another Pokémon like them?" Dusknoir nodded.

"Yes," he said. "The last of the trio is Azelf, known as the Being of Willpower. Uxie and Mesprit both guarded Time Gears. Therefore, Azelf may likewise be protecting a Time Gear."

"Oh, I see!" Chimecho said. "If we could locate Azelf, we may find a Time Gear with the Pokémon. And we may have a chance at seeing that thief Grovyle appear!"

"That's correct," Dusknoir said. "Those three Pokémon are said to dwell at lakes As such, I believe that Azelf will be found at a lake somewhere. Let's keep something in mind. Uxie's lake was located on a high plateau. Mesprit's lake was hidden far beneath a desert. In both cases, the lakes were in unusual places. So the lake where Azelf lives will be somewhere that we least expect it to be."

"I get it NOW!" Loudred shouted. "You're saying we shouldn't look for water in the usual places!"

"I commend you on your wisdom, Dusknoir sir!" Chatot chirped.

"Thank you," Dusknoir said, "It's really nothing."

"No, no!" Dugtrio argued. "We, too, revere you! First it was you, Dusknoir. Sir, who directed us to the Northern Desert. It turned out that there was a Time Gear far below the desert. So Dusknoir, sir, your insight was entirely correct."

"I figured out the exact location," Xaira murmured. "Where's the praise for my wisdom?"

"So maybe the other places we searched…The Eastern Forest and Crystal Cave…Those places can still be hiding secrets from us!" Sunflora concluded. Dusknoir nodded.

"Bidoof," he said. "May I ask a favor of you?"

"Yup, yup," Bidoof said with a nod. "What can I do for you?"

"That crystal you picked up previously," Dusknoir said." May I borrow it briefly?" Bidoof's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"My crystal?!" he exclaimed. "No, no! That's my precious treasure, by golly!"

"I do not intend take it away," Dusknoir said. "That I promise you." He turned to face Xaira. "Now Xaira-"

"I understand," Xaira said.

"Good," Dusknoir said. "If we can get the Dimensional Scream to work-"

"Dimensional Scream?" Loudred repeated. "What's that?" Riolu gave Xaira a questioning glance. Hesitating, she nodded.

"We might as well explain," she said.

"It's a special ability that Xaira has," Riolu explained. "Sometimes, when she touches something, she has a vision of an event in the past or future that involves it."

"Or is connected to it," Xaira stated. Chatot and the apprentices looked at Xaira in shock.

"There's really an ability like that?" Corphish asked. Dusknoir nodded.

"There is," he said. "Which is why I desperately wish to borrow the crystal." The apprentices stared at Bidoof who glanced around the room nervously. He sighed.

"OK," he said. "I can't refuse a reason like that! I'll go get it." Bidoof ran to his room, and a few moments later, retuned carrying the crystal. He then walked up to Xaira and placed the crystal in front of her. Glancing around, Xaira noticed that everyone was staring. Taking a deep breath, she placed her paw on the crystal, concentrating. After a few moments, the familiar dizziness started, and everything went dark.

 _In an area that looked to be made of crystal, Grovyle faced a small blue and grey Pokémon, who was struggling to stand._

 _"_ _I'll take the Time Gear, now," Grovyle said as he walked past the fallen Pokémon._

 _"_ _No…" the Pokémon whispered. "You can't take it… Never…"_

Xaira felt as though she were being jerked back, and her vision returned. When it did, she noticed that the other Pokémon were still staring, making her feel rather uncomfortable.

"Did you see anything, Xaira?" Riolu asked. Xaira nodded.

"Grovyle attacked a Pokémon that looked similar to Mesprit and Uxie," she said. "He then went to take a Time Gear."

"WHAT?!" Loudred exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh! Your ability is so thrilling!" Sunflora said.

"How'd you get to see all that, by golly?" Bidoof asked. "It's mighty hard for me to grasp!"

"So that that Pokémon …do you think it could be Azelf?" Corphish asked.

"It's likely," Xaira replied.

"I have a question for too," Chimecho said. "Did you see the past or the future?" For a moment, Xaira froze.

"I don't know," She said. Several of the apprenticed looked disappointed. "I can't really tell when the things in my visions take place."

"You're saying we may already be too late?!" Chatot exclaimed.

"We may be, and we may not," Xaira said. The apprenticed whispered amongst themselves, growing more worried by the moment.

"Everyone, please hold on!" Dusknoir said in attempt to calm everyone down. "Yes, it is true that it may have been a vision of the past. But it could have been a vision of the future. Riolu, if I recall correctly, did you say that Uxie was the one who informed Mesprit that the Time Gears were being stolen?" Riolu nodded.

"Yes," he said. "That's what she said."

"But the name Azelf?" Dusknoir asked. Riolu shook his head.

"I've never heard it before," he said. "The name Azelf is new to me. I only heard it today from you, Dusknoir, sir."

"Then there's still a chance!" Dusknoir said. "If Mesprit claimed that Azelf had alerted her about the stolen Time Gear, then Xaira's vision would surely be from the past. But that was not the case. Mesprit did not mention Azelf. Therefore, It's possible that the event happens in the future!"

"Or she probably didn't bother to mention him," Xaira muttered. But no one heard.

"One more point. And this is a sure thing. Upon touching the crystal, Xaira experienced the Dimensional Scream," Dusknoir said. "The vision indicated the presence of a Time Gear, which means what we seek is in Crystal Cave! Perhaps there is a passage there that leads to a Time Gear."

"Yeah! Maybe it IS there!" Loudred exclaimed.

"Of course, we may already be too late," Dusknoir said. "Or we may still have time! As long as a chance remains, we must never give up! It's our only option!"

"Absolutely!" Corphish said.

"Good thinking, Dusknoir, sir!" Bidoof said. "Yup. Yup!"

"I'm all fired up from excitement!" Sunflora exclaimed.

"Let's GO everyone!" Loudred shouted. "Let's search Crystal Cave!"

"Onward to Crystal Cave!" Chatot said. He turned to Wigglytuff. "Guildmaster! Please issue the call to duty!" Wigglytuff didn't respond. Chatot flapped his wings. "Guildmaster! Hmm? Guildmaster? Guildmaster! Are you with us?" Wigglytuff responded with a loud snore.

"You have got to be kidding me," Xaira grumbled.

"The Guildmaster is so very charming," Chimecho giggled. Xaira gave her an odd look.

"When do you all suppose he took to snoozing?" Bidoof asked.

"You think that maybe he's been asleep from the get-go?" Loudred suggested. Chatot laughed nervously.

"Guildmaster! Guildmaster!" Wigglytuff blinked a few times, yawning, but Chatot took no notice.

"GUILDMASTER!" Chatot shouted.

"Chatot!" Wigglytuff said sternly.

"GUILD-" Chatot stopped and immediately lowered his voice, looking very embarrassed. "I mean, er… to take it from the top…there was…."

"Everyone!" Wigglytuff said, turning to the apprentices. "We're going after Grovyle! YOOM…TAH!" Chatot froze in place.

"I will accompany you to Crystal Cave," Dusknoir stated. "Let's do our best, everyone." With that, everyone set off for Crystal Cave.

….

"So this is Crystal Cave," Riolu said upon arrival. Xaira glanced around. From the outside, it didn't look like much, but she knew better. "It will take us forever if we search every step of the way."

"Then we go as far as we can," Xaira stated, "Or at least until we find anything suspicious." Riolu nodded.

"I was thinking the same thing," he said. He glanced around, noticing that everyone else had gone. "We should get going."

The cave was absolutely gorgeous. Large, colorful crystals poked out from the walls and the ground, and clear pools of water were scattered throughout.

"If only there was more light in here," Xaira said. "This place would be breathtaking." Riolu nodded.

"It almost reminds me of that room in Waterfall Cave," he said. "Have you seen anything odd?" Xaira shook her head.

"I can feel something, though," she said. "Something is here. Maybe not in this immediate area, but…" She trailed off before shaking her head. "Forget it. Let's just keep going." Eventually, the two reached a small chamber with three different colored crystals, red, violet, and yellow, sticking up from the ground to form a triangle. Xaira glanced around the room, other that that, there was nothing notable. As she looked, she began to feel the same feeling she felt near Fogbound Lake and Quicksand Desert.

( _That settles it. The Time Gear is near_. _Could these crystals be the key?_ )

"Wow!" Riolu exclaimed, running to the violet crystal. "Look at this!" He stepped closer, placing his hand on it, and to his and Xaira's surprise, it turned orange. "This crystal changes color when you touch it!" Riolu exclaimed. He ran to the red crystal. The moment he touched it, it turned green. "This crystal changes color when you touch it too! This might have something to do with solving this place's secret!"

"I was thinking the same thing," Xaira said as she made her way to the yellow crystal. When she touched it, it turned blue. She placed her paw on it again, and it turned red. "It looks like they can change into a variety of colors." ( _Three crystals? Changing colors? What does it all mean? There are three lake guardians but-_ ) Her thoughts were cut short by a dizzy spell. ( _It's starting again. The Dimensional Scream.)_ Her vision went black _._

" _I see," a voice said." Of the three spiritual elements of Knowledge, emotion, and willpower, Azelf is the Being of Willpower. Willpower is the motivation that drives us. It's a unifying power. To unify is to make one. So if the colors of the crystals were made one, the path should reveal itself._ _What is the color of Azelf's spirit? That is the question. Azelf lives at Crystal Lake. Then Azelf's spirit must be affected by the crystals_." The vision cut off, and Xaira's sight returned.

( _That was just like what happened at the Groudon Statue. But…whose voice was that?_ )

"Hey, what's the matter, Xaira?" Riolu asked, snapping Xaira out of her thoughts. "Did you have another vision?" Xaira nodded. "I knew it!" Riolu exclaimed. "S-so what did you see?"

"I didn't _see_ anything," she said, "I heard a voice. The voice said the crystals should all be made one color."

" That's it!" Riolu cried. "Now what's the color supposed to be?"

"The color of Azelf's spirit," Xaira stated. "The color of willpower."

"I'm not following," Riolu said, but Xaira didn't answer.

"Azelf lives at Crystal Lake," she muttered. "Crystal cave…and Crystal lake. Is Azelf's spirit…as clear as crystal?" She remembered when the yellow crystal turned blue. "Or could it be the color of cold water?"

"I guess you really have an idea of what to do," Riolu said, stepping away from the green crystal. Xaira nodded.

"The crystals need to be blue," she said. "Help me." After a few moments, Xaira and Riolu successfully changed all the crystals blue.

"Now what?" Riolu asked. Before Xaira could reply, the ground began to shake.

"Get back!" Xaira cried. They ran from the center of the room and watched as the crystals lit up. What looked like electricity surged in between the crystals, ant the color from them faded, turning them clear. As the crystals turned clear, a larger crystal of the same color rose from the ground. The ground stopped shaking, and Xaira and Riolu stepped closer to the large crystal.

"There's a big, jagged opening in the middle!" Riolu exclaimed. "Do you think that we should go through there?" Xaira nodded.

"It appears to be the only way forward," she said. They stepped through the hole in the crystal. The moment they did, the ground began to shake again, and the crystal began to lower.

"Let's get out of here!" Riolu cried.

"Wait," Xaira said. "Maybe this leads to Azelf's lake." Soon, the crystal stopped moving, and Xaira and Riolu stepped out of it. Xaira glanced around. They were still in a cave, but it looked to go even further.

"Those crystals were the key, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed. "Let's go! Onward to Azelf's lake!" The section of the cave wasn't any different from before with the exception of stronger Pokémon. Eventually, Riolu and Xaira came across an open area with a lot of water.

"Hey! Look, Xaira! It's the lake!" Riolu exclaimed. Xaira glanced around taking note of the crystals poking out of the lake and the blue green light at the lake's center reflecting off of them. It was almost as beautiful as Fogbound Lake.

"I would have never guessed," she stated. Riolu rolled his eyes and surveyed the area.

"Hey Xaira! Look!" he cried. "In the middle of the lake, where it's like an island! I think I see someone!" Xaira stepped forward, taking a closer look. Sure enough, there was someone standing where Riolu was pointing.

"Who's over there?" Riolu asked "Is that Azelf?" Xaira shrugged. Though she was looking from far away, the figure did not look like the Pokémon from her vision. Xaira squinted. There were two Pokémon standing there! One of which she recognized very well.

"That's…That's Grovyle!" Xaira exclaimed.

"It looks like your vision was of the future after all!" Riolu said. "Azelf's in trouble! We have to hurry!"

Grovyle stood near the water's edge, staring at the light at the center of the lake. Azelf lay injured behind him.

"Hovering over the water is the Time Gear, isn't it? Grovyle asked. Azelf didn't answer. Grovyle shook his head with a sigh. "Fine then. Azelf, wasn't it? I apologize. But I must take that Time Gear." He took a step towards the lake.

"Wait…" Azelf said, looking up. "Hold it Grovyle." Grovyle froze in place.

"You know my name?" Grovyle asked. Azelf nodded.

"Grovyle the thief," he said. "I heard from Uxie and Mesprit that you were coming. It would have been better if I knocked you out directly. But I also thought I could possibly loose. So I set up a fail-safe system." Grovyle whipped around.

"What?! He exclaimed. Azelf's eyes began to glow and the ground began to shake. Grovyle watched in horror as crystals rose from the lake, surrounding the Time Gear and blocking it from view. Several more crystals shot up directly in front of him, causing him to step back.

"Grovyle…The Time Gear…" Azelf said. "You'll never get it now. Even in exchange for my life… You'll never-"

"You!" Grovyle shouted, turning to face Azelf. "Do you have any idea what you have done?! I need the Time Gear! I mean to have it, and I will get it! Even if it means eliminating you!" Grovyle stepped forward to strike the Pokémon, but was stopped by a Riolu and an Eevee with a scarred face. He recognized the two from the Underground Lake.

"Stop!" the Riolu demanded.

"We will not allow you to steal another Time Gear!" the Eevee said. Grovyle stepped forward, growing more frustrated.

"As I told you before, I have no quarrel with you," he said. "Get out of the way!" The Riolu shook his head and looked at him defiantly.

"No! I won't move!" he said. The Eevee nodded.

"I'll give you a chance to get out of here," she said. "If you refuse, we will take you down, and I will make sure you don't wake up for a while." For a moment, Grovyle thought he saw a blue green glimmer in her eyes.

"Are you serious?!" he asked. Neither Pokémon answered nor did they move. Grovyle sighed. "Then if you won't stand aside, you leave me with no choice! I'll knock you out first! Just try to stop me!" With that, he lunged at the Pokémon, who quickly jumped out of the way.

"Remember, he's quick," Grovyle heard the Eevee say. "Don't let your guard down!" Nodding, the Riolu used Quick Attack, which Grovyle narrowly avoided. However, the Eevee used the same move, landing a direct hit before he had the chance to do anything. Grovyle staggered back a bit, surprised that an Eevee could hit so hard. Quickly recovering, he used Leaf Blade, knocking the Eevee off of her feet. He was about to strike again when the Riolu snuck up behind him and used Force Palm.

"Get away from her!" the Riolu cried. This gave the Eevee the opportunity to jump to her feet and start attacking once more. Grovyle reacted swiftly, swinging his arm at her and knocking her to the ground, causing her to hit her head on a nearby crystal sticking up from the ground. He quickly attacked the Riolu, sending him falling to the ground in front of Azelf. Out of the corner of his eye, Grovyle saw the Eevee attempting to stand up. He quickly struck her to the ground once more. He turned to face the Riolu, who was standing in front of Azelf, trembling.

"Get out of the way!" Grovyle demanded. The Riolu opened his mouth as if to speak, but made no sound and made no move to get out of the way. Grovyle growled in frustration.

"You refuse?" Grovyle asked. He raised his arm. "Then you leave me no choice!" The Riolu closed his eyes. "This is all for the Time Gear! Forgive me!" Before Grovyle could strike, a Pokémon swiftly moved in front of him and grabbed his arm.

"Stop!" the Pokémon demanded. Grovyle's eyes widened.

"Y-you?!" he exclaimed. Dusknoir shoved him back, causing him to fall to the ground

"It's been too long!" Dusknoir said. "It wasn't easy finding you, Grovyle!" Grovyle let out a bitter laugh as he stood up.

"Even here!" he said. "You chased me even here! You're tenacious, all right! You cling to me beyond expectation!" Dusknoir floated forward.

"You're not getting away from me this time!" he said.

"I'm not exactly surprised to see you in this world," Grovyle said, shaking his head. He got in a fighting stance. "But I'm ready!" Dusknoir simply chuckled.

"So you'll fight," he said as he readied for battle. "Then so be it. But can you win? Against ME?" Grovyle shrugged, slipping his hand into the small bag he carried.

"I'm ready when you are," he said. With that, the two Pokémon rushed at each other and the room was filled with a blinding light. When the light cleared, Grovyle was nowhere to be seen. Dusknoir quickly glanced around the room.

"That blasted Grovyle!" he exclaimed. "He never intended to fight me at all!" He shook his head. "No matter. There's no escaping ME!" With that, he dissolved into shadows to begin his pursuit.

Riolu collapsed.


	15. Dusknoir's Secret

_**Here we go! If you spot any typos or mistakes, please tell me! And please tell me whether or not I'm doing a good job adapting this game. Enjoy the chapter!**_

* * *

Riolu slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh! Are you awake?" he heard a voice asked.

"Wh-where?" he muttered groggily. He glanced around, realizing that he was in his room at the guild. Xaira was sleeping in her bed. Chimecho floated at her side, looking concerned. He rushed over to her despite the horrible pain in his head.

"Xaira!" he cried. 'Are you alright?!"

Xaira opened one eye, and using one paw, hit him in the head.

"Lower your voice!" she hissed. "I was trying to rest!" Rubbing his head, Riolu groaned.

"You're alight," he said. "That's good." Xaira sat up.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked. "If anything I should be concerned about you." She sighed.

"I'm fine," he said. "My head hurts a bit though."

"Sorry about that," she said. Riolu smiled, but the smile faded when he remembered what had happened.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "Azelf! Is he-"

"He's fine," Chimecho said. "Compared to you two, his injuries weren't that severe. He's in the guild now."

"That's good to hear," Riolu sighed.

"I should let the guild know you're awake," Chimecho said heading out of the room.

'No need for that," Xaira said, slowly standing up. "We can let them know ourselves."

"But you're hurt!" Chimecho protested. "You shouldn't push yourself."

"It's just a short walk," Xaira stated, trying not to wince in pain as she stepped forward. "It'll do me good. Are you coming, Riolu?"

"I suppose," he said. Xaira nodded.

"Good," she said.

The moment Xaira and Riolu entered the guild's lowest floor, they were surrounded by their fellow apprentices.

"You're awake!" Sunflora exclaimed. "That's wonderful news!" Riolu winced at her loud voice.

"Oof! I'm mighty glad!" Bidoof sniffed. "If anything happened to you all, I'd… I'd-"

"You guys are getting so emotional about this!" Riolu chuckled.

"You're one to talk," Xaira stated.

"You two," a new voice said. Xaira and Riolu watched as Azelf floated over to them. "You are the ones who tried to protect me at Crystal Lake, correct?" Riolu nodded.

"I'm sorry that we didn't get there sooner," he said. "Do you remember much?" Azelf shook his head.

"No," he replied. "But the others here have told me about what happened. I am glad to see you two are well."

"So are we," Xaira stated.

"Wait a minute!" Riolu said suddenly. "That's right! There's something I need to share with everyone!"

"And what would that be?" Sunflora asked.

"Back at Crystal Lake, before I collapsed, Dusknoir and Grovyle were getting ready to fight," Riolu said. "From what they were saying, it sounded like they know each other!"

"What?!" Chatot exclaimed.

"Well then, what became of Dusknoir?" Dugtrio asked. Riolu though for a moment.

"Well, Grovyle escaped," he said. "I think he went off in pursuit." Before anything else can be said, a piercing sound rang through the air.

"What? The EMERGANCY siren?!" Loudred exclaimed as Diglett rushed to the sentry post.

"Diglett!" Dugtrio called. "What's the matter?"

"It's an alert from Magnemite," Diglett replied. "I'm told it's an emergency call set out by Officer Magnezone! Deputy Magnemite! Please shout your message down to the sentry post! Please speak clearly!"

"Can you hear me?" Magnemite buzzed. "Everyone, please gather at the main square in Treasure Town! Officer Magnezone will have a major announcement to make to everyone! That is all!"

"An important announcement?" Sunflora said. "What might it be?"

"No point in wondering," Corphish stated. "Let's go get the answer!"

….

By the time the guild members arrived at the town square, all the inhabitants of Treasure town had gathered.

"So even the guild's Pokémon were called!" an Ursaring whispered.

"Something serious must be happening." Vigoroth replied. After glancing around the crowd, Azelf noticed the other Lake Guardians.

"Uxie!" he called, rushing forward. "Mesprit!"

"Azelf!" Uxie greeted.

"Are you all right?" Mesprit asked. "I heard what happened!" Azelf nodded.

"I'm fine," he said.

"And the Time Gear?" Uxie asked.

"It's in Crystal Lake," Azelf replied. Mesprit's eyes widened.

"Are you sure it'll be safe there without your protection?" she asked. Azelf nodded.

"I'm sure," he said. "The Time Gear is protected by an encasing cover of crystals. Stealing it won't be easy."

"Hey! Dusknoir sir!" Riolu shouted as he ran up to Dusknoir, who was standing near Magnezone in front of the crowd. Xaira followed closely behind him. Dusknoir turned to face them.

"Ah! Riolu and Xaira!" he greeted. "I am so relieved to see that you are safe!"

"Dusknoir sir, I'm glad to see you back too!" Riolu said with a smile. "Thank you for saving us! Anyway, what happened after you went after Grovyle?"

"Regrettably, he slipped away from me," Dusknoir answered.

"He certainly is crafty," Xaira stated.

"Um…Dusknoir, sir?" Riolu said. "Back at Crystal Lake, when you were fighting Grovyle, you and Grovyle seemed to know each other. What was-"

"If I may interrupt!" Magnezone cut in. "The great Dusknoir plans to explain what he knows. And that topic is most likely included!" Dusknoir glanced at the crowd.

"It seems that everyone is here," he said.

"Everyone, gather around please!" Magnezone ordered. "You two, please join the crowd." Riolu and Xaira made their way to where the other guild members were standing.

"Golly, I wonder what this all could be about?" Bidoof whispered.

"Who knows?" Loudred replied, "Don't ask ME!"

"Since everyone is here, I'd like to get this meeting started!" Magnezone announced. The whispering Pokémon immediately silenced. "As you all know, several Time Gears have been stolen by the Pokémon Grovyle! Also, in the regions where a Time Gear has been stolen, the flow of time has come to a standstill! This is a serious problem, as I am sure you can guess! However, today, I bring wonderful news! Grovyle failed to steal a Time Gear! And the hero who protected it was the mighty Azelf!" the crowd erupted in cheers before Magnezone signaled them to quiet down. "And the hero who saved and chased off Grovyle…That would be the great Dusknoir right here!" Once again, the Pokémon applauded.

"Officer Magnezone," Dusknoir said. "I'm sorry to interrupt. Perhaps I should explain from here."

"Of course!" Magnezone said, floating out of Dusknoir's way.

"Everyone!" Dusknoir said. "While we should be happy that we protected the Time Gear this time, the fact is that Grovyle remains at large. Therefore, we cannot afford to feel safe and secure. Grovyle will most certainly make another attempt to steal the Time Gear." The Pokémon whispered amongst themselves. "There is another matter that is tied to all of this. It is an extremely important matter that I must share with you. I would like to explain it to you now. First. Earlier, Riolu asked me the following question. Did I know Grovyle from before this happened? That is correct. I do know Grovyle from before all this."

"I knew it!" Riolu whispered.

"Shhh!" Chatot scolded.

" What I am about to say may be beyond your belief," Dusknoir said, looking very serious, "but it also happens to be the truth. Furthermore, if what I'm about to reveal isn't stopped, calamity is certain! I, therefore ask for your undivided attention. First Grovyle is a Pokémon from the future." Several Pokémon gasped while others just stared in shock.

"What?!" Xaira exclaimed.

"F-future?" Riolu repeated.

"But is something like that possible?!" Loudred asked, "A Pokémon…coming from the FUTURE?"

"Grovyle….In the word of the future, is a notorious criminal," Dusknoir continued. "He has a large bounty on his head. He is known for having an utterly catastrophic plan, which he traveled to the past to execute."

"What is it?" Chatot asked, "What's the plan?"

"It was nothing less than…causing the planet's paralysis." Dusknoir answered.

"The planet's paralysis?" Chatot repeated. Dusknoir nodded.

"Yes," he said. "When a Time Gear is removed, the flow of time slows in its region. As many more are taken, time slows in an ever larger area. Eventually, the planet's flow slows down so much that it stops entirely. Ultimately, the planet reaches a state of total paralysis."

"If the planet is paralyzed, what happens to this world?" a Teddiursa in the crowd asked.

"In a world where the planet has been paralyzed, no winds blow," Dusknoir said. "The day never comes. Neither spring nor summer ever comes. A shroud of dark clouds cover the sky. It's a world of unrelenting darkness. It would be no exaggeration to call it the complete ruin of the world."

"Is THAT what happens if the Time Gears are taken away?!" Loudred asked.

"The way time has been going out of control lately," Dusknoir continued, "is also caused by the thefts of the Time Gears. If the Time Gears continue to be stolen, this world will end in ruin."

"This is bad!" a Swellow cried.

"We-we've got to do something!" a Seedot stated.

"I have a question!" Corphish announced. "There's something that I don't understand."

"Yes?" Dusknoir said. "What is it?"

"I understand that we have a big problem on our hands, but what I don't understand is about you, Dusknoir, sir," he said. "Why do you know so much, Dusknoir, sir? I mean, I know that you are knowledgeable and wise, and-"

"Get to the point," Xaira interrupted, Corphish shot her a quick glare.

"Anyway," he continued. "What I'm trying to ask is, how would you know the future, no matter how knowledgeable you are?"

"Corphish is right," Xaira spoke up. "It doesn't add up. Also, how would you know about paralyzed planets in such great detail? And why in the world would Grovyle-"

"What Corphish said makes perfect sense," Dusknoir interrupted. "Under normal circumstances, it's true that there is no way that I should know such things. So why do I know these things? It's because I too am a Pokémon from the future." Once again, there was a collective gasp.

"Dusknoir is another Pokémon from the future?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"By gosh and golly! This is all so complicated it's making my head spin, yup yup!" Bidoof said.

"My objective is to capture Grovyle," Dusknoir said. "It is for that reason…that I came from the future. I needed to know as much as possible to ensure the capture of Grovyle. I therefore studied everything I could about this world while in the future. That is why I know so much about this world."

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Ursaring asked.

"I…I'm sorry," Dusknoir said, glancing at everyone in the crowd. "I have felt terrible not saying anything. I am sincerely sorry for not revealing my identity. But…what if I had been open about my identity from the start? What would have happened if I had said that I was from the future?"

"Everyone would have laughed you out of Treasure Town," Xaira stated. "I would have at least." Chatot gave her a stern look, but Dusknoir merely chuckled.

I also needed to avoid alerting Grovyle to my presence," Dusknoir continued. "I decided that I should keep my identity hidden while I went about with my work."

"It makes sense…"Chatot said.

"But…it is also a fact that I have been deceiving you.," Dusknoir said, placing a hand over his heart. "For keeping silent about my identity…I sincerely apologize.

"No, no! Oh, no, no! Please, don't apologize!" Chatot said. "You can't blame yourself! You had no choice!"

"I concur!" Magnezone said. "Dusknoir has done nothing wrong in my book!"

"If you really think about it, you weren't lying to us," Xaira said. "No one ever asked if you were from the future or anything of the sort, so therefore, you had no reason to tell anyone. It wasn't deception. It was don't ask don't tell."

"Why would anyone ask him anything like that?" Riolu asked. Xaira shrugged.

"Anyway," Magnezone said. " We should focus our anger on Grovyle! We must somehow capture him!"

"Yeah! We're in DEEP trouble if we let Grovyle go on!" Loudred agreed.

"We need to catch him before the world gets ruined!" Sunflora said.

"Dusknoir, sir! I'll be glad to help!" Chimecho volunteered.

"Me too!" Diglett piped up.

"By golly, me too!" Bidoof said.

"Hey, hey! Count me in!" Corphish said. Soon all the Pokémon in the crowd were offering their help.

"We will cooperate as well!" Uxie stated.

"I refuse to remain a victim!" Mesprit said

"We won't let him steal another one!" Azelf declared.

"Everyone. Thank you so much," Dusknoir said. "We, as Pokémon must all work as one to capture Grovyle then put an end to Grovyle's calamitous plot!" The Pokémon in the crowd cheered as Dusknoir turned to speak with the lake guardians.

"Everyone, let me explain our plan!" Dusknoir said after he finished his conversation. "First, I would like everyone to spread a rumor, far and wide! Spread the word that the lake guardians have returned to Crystal Lake to seal the Time Gear away. Please spread the rumor as much as possible."

"I see," Chatot said, nodding. "So you want word of this to reach Grovyle's ears."

"That's correct," Dusknoir replied. "But Grovyle won't be convinced by rumor alone. That is why I must ask the trio of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf to to actually go to Crystal Lake."

"I understand!" Riolu said. "Then when Grovyle shows up to find Azelf and the others, that's when we can catch him!"

"Oh my gosh! I'm all fired up with excitement!" Sunflora exclaimed.

"Hey, hey! I'm calling it! I'm going to be the one who catches Grovyle!" Corphish announced.

"No, it is my duty to catch criminals!" Magnezone protested.

"I don't think so," Xaira argued. "I plan on paying back Grovyle for Crystal Lake, and I won't let any of you stand in my way!"

"I'm sorry," Dusknoir said, quieting the crowd down. "I'm grateful for your offers. But, for the capture of Grovyle, I would refer to work alone."

"What!? Why?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Grovyle will be extremely wary," Dusknoir explained. "Even if he were to realize that Azelf and the other two had actually gone to Crystal Lake, he would be cautious to the extreme. So if we were to lay a massive ambush for him at Crystal Lake, he will undoubtedly notice the lack of Pokémon in Treasure Town and become suspicious. So I must apologize…and insist upon capturing Grovyle myself."

"Oh I get it," Riolu said with a sigh. "That's too bad."

"I'm terribly sorry, Riolu," Dusknoir said. "This time I hope to capture Grovyle without any mistakes. Please forgive my selfishness. Besides, after that last battle with Grovyle, you and Xaira need some time to recover." Xaira remained silent as Chatot turned to address the guild members.

"That's how it stands, guild members," he said. "Up you now, we were capturing Grovyle! At least, that was the plan. This time, stay out of it. We'll provide support only as needed."

"If that's what it takes…"Loudred grumbled.

"We have no choice?" Sunflora asked.

"Is that an acceptable plan, Guildmaster?" Chatot asked.

"Yup, yup!" Wigglytuff said cheerfully.

"Thank you for confirming that," Chatot said.

"Thank you for hearing me out everyone," Dusknoir said. "I realize I am asking a huge favor. But please do your part in our plan. And let's capture Grovyle using whatever means necessary!" The Pokémon cheered, and the meeting was adjourned.

"Wait!" Mesprit called as she, Azelf, and Uxie caught up with Xaira and Riolu on their way back to the guild. "We would like to have a word with you, Xaira!"

"What is it?" Xaira asked.

"Uxie told us about your…problem," Azelf said.

"We would like to offer our help," Uxie said.

"I thought you said that you have no idea what the cause of my situation is," Xaira said.

"I may not know of the cause, but we do know of a place where you can search for answers," Uxie said. "I didn't have the chance to tell you back at Fogbound Lake."

"Where would this place be?" Riolu asked.

"The Air Continent," Mesprit stated. "Rumors say that there is someone who went through something similar."

"There was another human transformed in to a Pokémon?" Xaira whispered. The trio nodded. Xaira smiled, but that smile quickly faded. "Wait. How do you know this? I thought you guys just sat around your lakes all day."

"We have our ways," Mesprit chucked.

"Thank you," Xaira said. "I'll start planning the trip now! Finally! I can have some questions answered!" She laughed.

"Wait," Riolu said. "The Air Continent is huge. It will take ages for her to find anything."

"Not with the Dimensional Scream, it won't," Azelf said. Xaira's jaw dropped.

"You know?" she asked.

"Of course!" Mesprit said.

"It is unmistakable," Uxie said. "You show all the signs."

"How would you know that?" Xaira asked, "You can't see a thing with your eyes shut like that."

"We are capable of telepathy among other psychic abilities," Mesprit said. "It should be no surprise to you that we can tell."

"Anyway," Azelf said. "After Grovyle is captured, we would be happy to share with you what we know."

"Seriously?" Xaira asked. Mesprit nodded.

"It would be our pleasure," she said. "Although, we my only tell you what you already know. The Dimensional Scream is incredibly rare after all. Not much is known."

"I know," Xaira said.

"We must be going now," Azelf said. "We have to get to Crystal Lake soon to prepare the trap. Think about what we told you."

"Finally," Xaira said as she watched the lake guardians leave. "I finally know where to go next!"

"That's great, Xaira," Riolu said halfheartedly.

"Is something wrong?" Xaira asked. Riolu shook his head.

"It's nothing," he said.

…

When the apprentices arrived at the guild, Chatot took it upon himself to repeat everything Dusknoir had said at the meeting. Xaira only listened to about half of it before drifting into her own thoughts. Finally. She had an idea of where to go. All she had to do was find a way to get to the Air Continent.

"All right everyone!" Chatot said, finishing his lecture." Let's have another good day of work!"

"Let's go," Xaira said as she and Riolu prepared to leave.

"Not you two," Chatot said. "You need to recover from those injuries of yours. I won't have you failing at a job because you're hurt"

"But-" Riolu began.

"You don't have to tell me twice," Xaira said. "If anyone needs me, I'll be at Spinda's." With that, she walked off.

"Xaira!" Riolu called. "Wait for me!"

….

"Are you really going to leave?" Riolu asked as he took a sip of his drink.

"I don't know," Xaira said. "It depends on what happens. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about it just yet. We have to wait until Grovyle is captured, and then I have to find a way to get there. We'll be able to spend some time together before I go."

"I guess, but…" Riolu trailed off. "Are you sure I can't come with you?"

"This trip could take months, years even," Xaira replied. "I'm not going to ask you to put your dream of being an explorer on hold for my sake."

"But-" Riolu began.

"No arguments," Xaira stated. "Besides, it's not like I'm going away forever. As soon as I am finished there, I plan on coming straight back here."

"But I thought-" Riolu began.

"Listen, Riolu," Xaira said. "This trip is only to investigate why and how I turned into a Pokémon. It's unlikely that I will somehow regain my memories and find my family doing this trip. Even if I did, I would come straight back here to tell you."

"Really?" Riolu asked. Xaira nodded.

"Really," she said. "Now finish up that drink. I want to go to the market to stock up on supplies."

….

"Xaira! Riolu!" the green Kecleon greeted. "How are you two today? I heard that you had an encounter with Grovyle yesterday." Riolu nodded.

"We're fine," he said. "Chatot had us take the day off so that we can fully recover."

"We only had a near death experience," Xaira added. Can I interest you in any of our fine wares?" the violet Kecleon asked.

"It depends," Xaira stated. "What do you have that I can't pick up off of the ground for free?" The violet grabbed a silver disk off of a shelf, showing it to her. Ehen the light hit it, the disk shimmered violet.

"A TM!" Riolu exclaimed. The Kecleon nodded.

"Shadow Ball to be exact," he said. "It's only 6500 Poké! Are you interested?"

"That's pretty steep," Riolu whispered. Xaira chuckled.

"I have an idea," she whispered back. "Follow my lead." She feigned a look of disinterest. "Should I be?" she asked.

"Well," the Kecleon said. "It has amazing range. You can strike an enemy as long as you can see them." Xaira hummed thoughtfully.

"Shadow Ball, you say?" she asked. "I'll be sure to remember that name. It should be no problem to get it at-"

"We'll take it!" Riolu declared.

"What," Xaira said flatly as she watched Riolu exchange the money for the TM.

"Let's go, Xaira!" Riolu said. "It's getting late, and we should really wait at the guild for the others."

"What was that back there?" Xaira asked as the two made their way back to the guild. "I was on my way to a discount!"

"I know what you were doing," he said. "And it wouldn't' have worked."

"What makes you say that?" Xaira asked.

"Anyway," Riolu said. "Let's hurry back to the guild. I'll show you how to use it."

….

"So all I have to do is touch it?" Xaira asked. Riolu nodded.

"Activating a TM is simpler than one would think," he said. Xaira placed her paw on the small disk and focused. When she did, images of her creating an orb made of shadowy energy and firing it filled her mind.

"What was that?" she muttered as the images faded. "I know that wasn't the Dimensional Scream."

"Congratulations!" Riolu said. "You have now learned Shadow Ball." Riolu and Xaira spent the rest of the time until dinner discussing the day's events.

"Today was full of surprises," Riolu said as he sat on his bed.

"I was. Wasn't it?" Xaira asked. "I'm just happy I finally have a lead." Riolu nodded.

"The great Dusknoir's talk about coming from the future was mindboggling," he said.

"It was indeed," Xaira replied. "But still, I would have liked to be the one to hunt down Grovyle. Especially after what he did to us yesterday."

"I understand," Riolu said. "But we have to trust Dusknoir on this." He yawned. "It would be great if Grovyle gets caught soon. Good night, Xaira."

….

"So here's where it stands," Chatot said the next morning. "We have not yet received word of Grovyle's capture."

"Are Mesprit and her friends all right?" Corphish asked.

"We don't know that either," Chatot replied. "We've received no information at all. We're in the dark. That said, we can't go off and spoil the trap. We will have to stand down until we receive word of some sort. Until then, we should carry on with our usual work. So everyone, let's get back to work today."

After a lot of convincing from Riolu, and to Xaira's disappointment, Chatot decided that the duo was well enough to do some jobs. Riolu and Xaira elected to do some easier jobs that say so that they can get back to the guild early and listen for news. Unfortunately, no news arrived.

"I wonder how Azelf and his friends are doing," Riolu said that evening. " Do you think that they may be fighting Grovyle now?"

"Possibly," Xaira yawned.

"You know , if you stop to think, this is all so strange," Riolu said. "I mean, Pokémon coming here from the future? Something like that is really possible?"

"It is hard to accept that Pokémon could come here from the future," Xaira said. "Come to think of it, what is the world of the future like?"

"I wonder that too," Riolu said. "Anyway, I'm going to sleep. Good night, Xaira."

"Good night," Xaira said.

The next morning, after the morning cheers, Chatot began the morning announcements.

"About the attempt to capture Grovyle," he said. "We have yet to receive word that-" He was cut off by a piercing sound. Diglett rushed to the sentry post.

"Deputy Magnemite is here!" he announced.

"This is a message from Officer Magnezone" Magnemite shouted from above. "We are pleased to deliver this report! Grovyle has finally been captured!"

"Whoa! At LAST!" Loudred cried.

"By gosh! Grovyle's been caught!" Bidoof exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh! They did it! Yippee!" Sunflora cheered.

"There's more!" Magnemite continued. "The great Dusknoir has informed us that he will return to the future with Grovyle!"

"Dusknoir is…"Chimecho trailed off, looking very disappointed.

"Going home?" Riolu finished sadly.

"Going back to the future?" Loudred asked. "How do you go back?"

"I do not claim to understand the process." Magnemite said. "But I have heard they will be going through a tunnel called a dimensional hole in the town's main square. Dusknoir told us he wishes to say good-bye before he leaves. Therefore, he hopes that you will come see him for the last time."

"Well, what are we doing here?!" Corphish asked. "Let's hurry! We have to get to Treasure Town!" By the time they reached treasure town, everyone else had already gathered.

"Everyone's already here!" Chimecho remarked.

"Hey, hey!" Corphish said. "I don't see the great Dusknoir around yet." The Pokémon noticed what looked to be a large, black hole hovering over the ground. It resembled a tunnel of sorts. The apprentices ran up to it.

"What's THAT?" Loudred asked.

"That's a dimensional hole!" Magnemite replied. "Please stand clear of it! If you get too close, you could be sent to the future!" The apprentices immediately took a step back from it. Glancing over his shoulder, Riolu noticed the lake guardians.

"Hey! Uxie! Mesprit! Azelf!" he called, running up to them. Xaira followed after him.

"Hello, Riolu!" Uxie greeted.

"You're all safe!" Riolu said. "Am I glad to see that!"

"Naturally!" Mesprit said.

"So was the plan successful?" Riolu asked.

"Grovyle's captured, isn't he?" Xaira asked. "Of course it was successful."

"You know what I meant," Riolu said. Azelf chuckled.

"Everything went well," he said. "I have to hand it to the great Dusknoir. The plan was flawless. Grovyle's been captured. And we regained all the Time Gears he'd stolen."

"That's excellent!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Dusknoir should be along shortly." Uxie said. "And Xaira, we will discuss thing later."

"I'd appreciate that," Xaira replied.

"Oh! Who's that?!" a voice from the crowd asked. Xaira turned around to see Dusknoir, along with Grovyle and two Sableye approaching.

"Everyone! MAKE WAY!" Loudred ordered. Several Pokémon moved, clearing a path for the approaching Pokémon. As they got closer, Xaira could see that Grovyle's arms were tied and that he was muzzled.

"That's Grovyle?" the green Kecleon asked.

"He looks like a BAD guy, that's for sure!" Loudred said.

"Heh, it's great they finally caught him." Ursaring stated.

"That's right," Teddiursa said with a nod. "The world was nearly ruined because of him." The four Pokémon stopped walking when they reached the dimensional hole.

"Everyone!" Dusknoir addressed the crowd. "Today, I would like to share excellent news with you. Finally, Grovyle has been captured!" The Pokémon began applauding and cheering. "This was all made possible by your selfless support and cooperation! I can't thank you enough! As you can see, Grovyle is a vicious and wicked Pokémon. His capture should result in lasting for your world." Grovyle's eyes widened. Frantically shaking his head, he attempted to speak, but because of the muzzle, his words were muffled.

"It looks like they have Grovyle muzzled," Riolu remarked. "He can't say a word that way."

"I can see that," Xaira said. Xaira glanced at Grovyle, and, she and Grovyle made eye contact. Grovyle looked somewhat worriedd. There was something else in his eyes. He looked almost remorseful. For a brief moment, Xaira's expression softened. Shaking her head, she broke eye contact, and turned her attention back to Dusknoir.

"I must also deliver a sad piece of news," Dusknoir said. "It is time for me to return to the future. Everyone! I must now bid you farewell."

"Oh, so that was true?" Corphish asked.

"I'm feeling the blues," Bidoof said, looking down to hide his saddened expression. "There was so much I wanted to learn from you…yup, yup."

"Uxie, Mesprit Azelf," Dusknoir said. "I entrust you with the rest."

"Of course," Azelf said.

"We know." Mesprit said.

"We got the Time Gears back. And we will make sure they're returned to their rightful places." Uxie assured.

"The task is yours," Dusknoir replied.

"Thank you very much!" Magnezone said. "For everything! You have saved us all!" Grovyle rolled his eyes.

"Oh, no, no, no. You have been most kind and helpful," Dusknoir said. "I hope you will continue to work to preserve the peace."

"Yes! You can depend on that!" Magnezone promised. The Sableye pushed Grovyle into the portal.

"Now…I'm afraid the time has come," Dusknoir said. "Everyone! Though it pains me…"

"I hate sad goodbyes!" Sunflora said.

"I hope we see you again," Diglett said. Dusknoir turned to leave, but stopped just inches from the portal. He turned around

"Oh, yes. Before I go," he said. "I must see two Pokémon. Riolu and Xaira!"

"That's us," Riolu said, wiping tears from his eyes. "Let's go up there." They approached Dusknoir.

"I'll admit it," Xaira said. "I'll miss you. And thank you. Without you, I'd still have no idea what's going on when it comes to my visions."

"You are welcome," Dusknoir said. "I sincerely wish you the best of luck in uncovering your past."

"So, this is really good-bye, Dusknoir sir," Riolu sniffed. "For everything you've done…Thank you! Sincerely!"

"Well…this is good-bye," Dusknoir said slowly.

"I suppose," Xaira said.

"Or is it?" Dusknoir asked

"What?" Riolu asked. Quickly, Dusknoir grabbed the two by their throats.

"It's too soon for farewells!" he declared. "You two are coming with me!" Before anyone had time to react, Dusknoir yanked them through the portal. When the three Pokémon vanished from sight, the portal collapse.

"By gosh!" Bidoof exclaimed.

"Riolu! Xaira!" Chimecho cried.

"What just happened?" Sunflora asked.


	16. Into the Future

Atop a dark, crumbling tower a lone Pokémon addressed a large figure with glowing red eyes.

"I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Master Dialga," the Pokémon said. "While I encountered more difficulty than anticipated, I finally succeeded in the capture. I fully understand what must be done. Those who seek to alter the course from history must be removed from history."

…

"Hey, Xaira!" Xaira stirred, hearing the voice of Riolu. "Wake up, Xaira!" Xaira slowly opened her eyes and slowly stood up. "You're awake!" Riolu said, relieved.

"Wh-where?" she muttered, glancing around. The room was round, grey, and made of stone. At one side of the room was what looked like a gate. Xaira shivered as there was a chill in the air.

This place…" Riolu said, glancing around. "I think it's a jail."

"Jail?" Xaira said. "What's going on?" Riolu shook his head.

"I'm not sure," he said, " I just woke up a while ago. I tried the doors, but they're locked. There seems to be no other way out."

"We've been locked up?" Xaira asked. Panic setting in, she rushed to the cold, iron doors, and shook them the best she could without thumbs. She took a deep breath in attempt to calm herself. She walked back to Riolu. "How did we end up here?"

"I remember that Dusknoir grabbed us and dragged us into the dimensional hole," Riolu said. "But…Why would he do that?"

"We have bigger problems," Xaira said, "If Dusknoir dragged us into the dimensional hole, that means-"

"We're in the future," Riolu said quietly. "But why?! Why would Dusknoir bring us here?! Why are we locked up?! How are supposed to get back home?!"

"Don't panic," Xaira said sternly, though her voice was shaky. "That's the last thing-" She was interrupted by the iron doors being swung open. A group of Sableye stepped into the room. Xaira took a few cautious steps back

"They're awake," the Sableye leader said. "How convenient. All right. We'll do this quick."

"Do this quick?" Riolu asked. "Do what?" Before Xaira or Riolu could do anything, the Sableye rushed at them and grabbed them. Xaira struggled to escape, but there were too many of them. One wrapped a cloth over her head obscuring her vision.

"I can't see a thing!" Riolu cried frantically.

"Come with us," the head Sableye ordered, shoving Riolu and Xaira forward.

"Ow!" Riolu yelped.

"Don't shove me!" Xaira snapped as the Sableye ushered her out of the room. The Sableye rushed them through a long hallway. Because she couldn't see where she was going, Xaira tripped several times. Eventually, they stopped.

"We're here," the Sableye said. Before Xaira could react, she was spun around and shoved against something hard. She then felt something being tightly wrapped around her.

"Wh-where is this?!" Riolu cried. "They have me trussed up. I can't move!"

"I can't either!" Xaira responded, attempting to struggle.

"Wh-why is this happening?" Riolu asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Xaira said, giving up on trying to break free. "We'll as fine as I can be in this situation."

"That's good," Riolu said, sighing in relief. "Where are we?"

"You're clueless about what's going to happen," a voice spoke up. "I guess you can afford to be nonchalant about it."

"That voice…" Riolu trailed off.

"Grovyle!" Xaira said. "What are you doing here?"

"You two…" Grovyle said. "Do you have any inkling about where we are?"

"N-no," Riolu replied. "Do you?"

"This is a stockade," Grovyle answered. "They're preparing to get rid of us for good."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "Wait a second! It's easy to understand why they'd want to get rid of you, Grovyle. But why us?! We haven't done anything wrong!" Xaira remained silent.

"I couldn't care less," Grovyle scoffed. "You must have done something they can't tolerate."

"You're awfully calm about this," Xaira commented.

"We haven't done anything bad!" Riolu insisted. "Don't think we're like you!"

"I don't care," Grovyle stated, "You're wasting time losing your cool." There was the sound of footsteps. "They're coming," Grovyle muttered.

"Who?" Riolu asked.

"The jailers who do all the dirty work around here," Grovyle replied. "They also happen to be Dusknoir's underlings."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "The great Dusknoir's?!"

"Lord Dusknoir." It was the voice of the head Sableye. "The three have been tied to the stakes."

"Good," Dusknoir stated.

"Dusknoir, sir!" Riolu called, struggling against the ropes. "It's me, Riolu!" Dusknoir ignored him.

"Sableye," he said, "We need to be rid of those three."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"What for?!" Xaira asked. "I demand an answer! Dusknoir! The moment I get down from here, you will regret this!"

"Pay them no heed," Dusknoir said. "You may get ready."

"W-wait a minute, Dusknoir, sir!" Riolu cried. "What's wrong with you? Why are you doing this to us?!"

"Don't waste your breath," Grovyle said. He lowered his voice. "Instead… Keep your voices down so they can't hear you."

"Keep…" Riolu said before remembering to lower his voice. "Keep my voice down?"

"You two," Grovyle whispered, "If you want to get away…give me your full cooperation."

"What?" Riolu asked "Help you?"

"There's no time to think," Grovyle said, " or would you prefer to stick around for them?" Riolu groaned in frustration.

"What will you have us do?" Xaira asked.

"That depends," Grovyle said. "Tell me, what can you do right now?" Xaira thought for a moment.

"Not much," she said. "If these ropes were a little looser, I'd be able to attack, but-"

"That's it," Grovyle said suddenly. "That will do!"

"We are ready to begin!" the head Sableye announced

"Very well," Dusknoir said. "But be vigilant to the end. Don't take your eyes off of them. Especially that Grovyle. Commence…now!"

"Listen carefully," Grovyle said. "Sableye use claws to strike. If even one of their attacks hit the ropes-"

"I get it!" Riolu said. "The ropes might come loose!"

"And then we attack and flee," Xaira said.

"Exactly," Grovyle replied.

"But what happens if-" Riolu began.

"Don't think about it," Xaira stated. Before anything else could be said, Xaira felt a searing pain in her shoulders. Riolu yelped in pain.

"Endure it!" Grovyle ordered. "Wait for your chance!" Suddenly, Xaira heard a snapping sound, and felt the ropes loosen.

"Go!" Grovyle ordered. With that, Xaira flung herself forward, ramming into the Sableye and sending it backwards.

"Wh-wh-What is this?!" Dusknoir exclaimed. There was the sound of something shattering, and Xaira felt herself being pulled down.

"We can't see!" the Sableye cried, shielding his eyes from the bright light.

"Compose yourselves!" Dusknoir exclaimed. " It's only a Luminous Orb! Its effect wears off quickly!" The light cleared, and the trio of Pokémon were nowhere in sight." B-blast it!" Dusknoir exclaimed, glancing around the room. "They won't get away with this! Come!" He and the Sableye rushed out of the room. As soon as they were out, the ground opened, allowing Grovyle, Xaira, and Riolu to climb to the surface. Riolu coughed, spitting out dirt.

"I got dirt in my mouth," he complained. After getting the blindfold off,Xaira examined her shoulders and front legs the best she could, wincing when she saw the cuts all over them. After glancing at Grovyle and Riolu, she noticed that they had similar injuries.

"We got out of that scrape," Grovyle said, dusting himself off. "But we're not out of the woods yet. Let's get out of here, and fast."

"Agreed," Xaira said, breaking out in a run. They began to run down a long hallway.

"Come on!" Grovyle said, taking the lead. "This way! We need to keep running until we hit the exit!" Grovyle glanced over his shoulder, noticing that Riolu and Xaira were trailing behind. "Faster!" Grovyle ordered. "Pick it up!"

"This is the fastest I can run!" Riolu argued, nearly out of breath. "Quit ordering me around! Anyway, Grovyle…"

"What?" Grovyle snapped, clearly not in the mood for a conversation.

"Is this…the future?" Riolu asked.

"That's right," Grovyle confirmed. "You catch on fast."

"Are we going to get back to our world?" Riolu asked.

"Who knows?" Grovyle replied. "We just need to get away for now. If we get caught, returning home will be the least of your worries." He paused for a moment. "Run faster!"

"I can't!" Riolu cried. "I'm exhausted."

"Ignore it and keep going," Xaira said, feeling exhausted herself. The pain in her shoulders didn't help matters. "We can rest when we're well away from this place."

"We're almost there!" Grovyle said as an opening came into view.

"We did it! We're outside!" Riolu exclaimed as they exited the building. The trio stopped to catch their breath. Xaira glanced around. It was dark, and the sky was covered with black clouds. They were in a dark, rocky area. Withered trees were scattered around. Boulders were suspended in the air. Not a breeze blew.

"What is this?" Riolu asked. "Everything is so still! It's as if everything's stopped." Grovyle looked back at him, looking quite grim.

"Exactly," he said. A haunting laugh rang through the air.

"More Sableye?" Xaira whispered.

"We have to keep running!" Grovyle exclaimed, breaking into a run. Xaira and Riolu followed after him.

"Listen, Grovyle. I'm exhausted," Riolu said after they had been running for a while.

"There's no time to rest!" Grovyle replied, not even looking back. "If they catch us, we're done! Tough it out and run!"

"That's easy for you to say," Riolu said. "I have to rest." He looked at Xaira. "And we're all hurt." Grovyle sighed.

"All right," he said. He led the trio to the small hollow in the side of a cliff. Xaira and Riolu sat down to rest. "This forms a natural alcove," Grovyle said, checking to see if anyone was following them. "This should shield us from view. After a quick rest, we should get moving again." Xaira checked her shoulders again. Most of the blood had dried, sticking to her fur in an annoying way.

"W-wait a minute," Riolu said. "When we escaped from the stockade, we cooperated with you because we had no other choice. But we didn't promise to go with you. A bad Pokémon like you…You're not worth trusting." Grovyle turned to face Riolu.

"So I'm the bad guy," he said, looking rather irritated. "And that Dusknoir is the good guy? Then how about explaining Dusknoir's actions earlier? It wasn't just me…They wanted you gone too!" Riolu looked down for a moment.

"Well," he began.

"Who said anything about either of you being good?" Xaira asked. "In case you have forgotten, you nearly killed us back at Crystal Lake. Riolu's right. We only helped you back there out of necessity." Riolu nodded. Grovyle studied the two for a moment.

"Earning your trust isn't an easy task, it seems," he said. "I thought that having allies would help, but there's no point in continuing together without trust. We'll go our separate ways. I'm staying on the move. You two should get moving as soon as possible. Good luck." He began to walk off.

"Wait!" Riolu called. Grovyle stopped, "You tell us to leave soon, but it's dark out now. It's hard to see where we're going. Instead of setting off right away, shouldn't we wait till morning?"

"That isn't possible, Grovyle replied, not turning around. "I hate to say it, but morning never comes."

"What?!" Riolu replied. Xaira's eyes widened,

"This world…" Grovyle said. "Your future…It's a world of perpetual darkness. The sun never rises. So morning never comes. The darkness persists forever."

"Wh-why?" Riolu asked.

"Because," Grovyle said, turning around. "The planet has been paralyzed."

"Paralyzed?" Riolu repeated. "But-"

"You are free to believe or reject what I'm telling you," Grovyle said. "Either way, I suggest that you leave as soon as you can. I'm going. Don't let those Sableye catch you." He ran off, quickly disappearing from view.

"Paralyzed?" Riolu said. "It doesn't make sense. The lake guardians promised to put the Time Gears back." Riolu sighed shaking his head. "I don't know what to think anymore."

"I don't either," Xaira admitted. "What could have possibly happened to-" There was a distant laugh. Xaira leapt to her feet. "Let's get out of here!" The two ran until they came across a dead end. Riolu glanced to the side, noticing a cave.

"In here!" he cried. The cave was very dark and filled with narrow passageways. And where there were no walls, there were steep drops.

"Look at that drop," Xaira commented as she glanced over the side of the steep ledge they were on.

"It looks like it goes on forever," Riolu said.

"Let's just try to avoid any hostile Pokémon," Xaira said as they continued walking. "You left our Treasure bag back home, and I'd hate to fight anything in a place like this without any items to make things easier." Riolu only nodded. Eventually, and thankfully after only a few scrapes, the two made it out of the cave.

"Did we put some distance between us and the Sableye?" Riolu asked as he caught his breath, Xaira glanced behind her. She saw no one.

"I'm not sure," she said. "I think so."

" Let's rest a little now," Riolu said.

"How are you doing?" Xaira asked.

"I'm exhausted," Riolu said. "And the wounds from earlier still hurt."

"Well we can't do anything about that," Xaira said.

"Look over there!" Riolu called rushing over to what looked like a frozen waterfall. "This water isn't flowing!" he exclaimed, examining it. "The gushing water is totally suspended in space!" He stared for a moment more. "Is Grovyle right after all? Has time really stopped?"

"It appears that way," Xaira said.

"Why did Dusknoir bring us here?" Riolu asked. "The great Dusknoir, who was so kind to us…If only there were some way of finding the truth." Riolu spun around to face Xaira. "I know!" he said. "There is a way of getting at the truth, Xaira! Your Dimensional Scream!"

"I suppose it's worth a try," Xaira said. She walked forward and placed her paw on the water. To her surprise, her paw passed right through. "It's still liquid," Xaira said.

"Well, Xaira?" Riolu said. "Can you see anything?" Xaira closed her eyes, concentrating. Unfortunately, a dizzy spell never came. Xaira shook her head, honestly surprised.

"No. I'm not sensing anything," she said.

"That's disappointing," Riolu said. ". It would have been reassuring if we could begin to understand what's happening. We didn't learn anything at all. " He glanced in the direction they came from. "We spent a lot of time here. If we don't hurry, those Sableye will get to us."

"Let's go," Xaira said. The duo started on their journey once more, scaling up the cliffs. Xaira constantly checked over her shoulder to see if anyone was in pursuit. Strangely, there was no sign of anyone following them.

"Do you think we lost them?" Riolu asked.

"I don't know," Xaira said. "But we can't get too comfortable." Riolu nodded.

" We've been climbing a long time now, he said. He walked to the edge of the cliff, staring out into the distance. His attention focused on a cluster of lights, looking like stars in the night sky. "Wow!" he exclaimed. Look at that, Xaira!"

"It's beautiful," Xaira said. "But isn't that-"

"The stockade," Riolu said. He sighed. "Hey Xaira. The great Dusknoir saved us more than once. He taught us many things too. That's why I…" He sniffed. "I came to really respect Dusknoir. But was Dusknoir…deceiving us? Even after all of this…I still can't believe it. I'm feeling all jumbled up."

"Riolu, I-"

"What should we do now?" Riolu asked. "How far do we have to run? How do we go back to our world? Everyone at the guild? I wonder how they're doing? Are they worried about us? Wigglytuff, Chatot, Bidoof, and everyone else…I wonder if they're doing well." Tears formed in his eyes. "I m-m-miss the guild. I want to see everyone!"

"I do too," Xaira said. Stepping forward. "But. We can't just stand around like this." Riolu didn't respond. Xaira sighed. "Listen. I'm scared too. And confused. But we can't just sit here and wait for the Sableye to catch us we need a plan." Xaira paused for a moment "Let's find Grovyle."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed, turning around. "You want to go after Grovyle? W-why?!"

"He may have answers," Xaira said. "And I intend to get them from him."

"But how can we trust anything he'd say?" Riolu asked. "Tell me. Do you trust Grovyle?" Xaira's ears drooped, and she shook her head.

"I don't know," she admitted.

"Well…I can't trust him!" Riolu exclaimed. " A Pokémon like that? Never!"

"Riolu," Xaira said sternly. "Grovyle is our only option. Unless you'd rather ask Dusknoir or those Sableye." Riolu's expression softened.

"I understand," Riolu said. "Dusknoir wants to get rid of us. And the only other Pokémon we know here is Grovyle." Riolu nodded. "Alright. Let's go find Grovyle." Xaira began to walk away. "Xaira," Riolu said, causing her to stop. "Thank you. You tried to pick me up when I was feeling down. Even though you should be just as scared as I am, Xaira. I'm sorry. Even though I have my closest and most precious friend with me, I worried all alone and almost gave up alone. When, in fact, I'm not alone." Riolu smiled. "I won't give up anymore. Because you are at my side, Xaira, I can be brave. I'm going to be fine, now. Let's get back to our world together." Xaira smiled softly.

"Together," she agreed. The two started on their journey once more.


	17. The Secret of the Planet's Paralysis

_**Sorry to keep you waiting! This took longer than expected. Anyway, please notify me of any mistakes! Thank you for taking the time to read this!**_

* * *

Riolu and Xaira traveled for what felt like hours, however with the dark sky, it was difficult to tell. Eventually, the two came across the entrance what looked to be a ruins.

"Since Grovyle left, it's been one straight shot without any branching paths," Riolu said as he surveyed the area. So Grovyle should be ahead of us on this same path." Xaira nodded.

"We should hurry," she said.

"You know," Riolu said after a while of wandering through the ruins, "I've noticed something odd."

"What would that be?" Xaira asked.

"Most of the Pokémon here," Riolu replied. "They're Ghost Types." Xaira nodded.

"I've noticed," she said. "You don't think-"

"Hey!" Riolu exclaimed, noticing something lying on the ground. Xaira glanced in the direction he was pointing. Whatever it was, it was large and green. Realization hit her.

"Grovyle!" she exclaimed. She and Riolu rushed over to his side. Grovyle looked to be in great pain.

"Are you alright?" Riolu asked.

"Stay back!" Grovyle ordered. From the sound of his voice, it was obvious that it took great effort for him to speak.

"What?" Riolu asked.

"Careful!" Grovyle warned. "An enemy lurks nearby!"

"Where?" Riolu asked, frantically looking around. Xaira glanced around as well. The only thing in the area was a small rock.

"Right beside you!" Grovyle replied.

"Next to me?" Riolu asked, his eyes falling on the odd stone at his feet. "It can't be this-"

"All those who trespass upon this land, none shall be forgiven!" a choir of voices echoed. "None!"

"Who are you?!" Riolu asked.

"Show yourself!" Xaira ordered.

"You ask that of us?" the voices asked. "Our name is Spiritomb. We are the manifestation of a fusion of spirits…" A purple smoke came out of the small stone. Green lights appeared within it, forming a monster-like face. "One hundred and eight of them!" Spiritomb declared with a laugh.

"Be careful, you two!" Grovyle warned. "That Pokémon is dangerous!"

"Prepare to take your punishment!" Spiritomb declared. A glowing, purple and green mist rushed at the two, which they barely dodged. At this point, Xaira really wished that she and Riolu had the Treasure Bag. All those Items would certainly be useful now.

"What do we do?!" Riolu asked.

"The best we can!" Xaira replied, launching Shadow Ball. Thankfully, it did decent damage. Riolu used Quick Attack, which barley did anything. He proceeded to use Quick Attack which had similar results.

"I'm sorry!" he cried. "I can't do much!" Xaira launched another Shadow Ball, hitting the Spiritomb from behind and momentarily distracting him.

"Throw rocks at it then!" Xaira said, dodging another attack. "I can't do this alone!" Riolu nodded, rushing around the area, collecting small pebbles. As soon as he got a good handful, he began to pelt Spiritomb with the small rocks.

"Stop it!" the Spiritomb screeched, whirling around to attack Riolu. Xaira took the opportunity to launch a Shadow Ball at the Spiritomb.

"Enough!" Spiritomb shrieked. The purple mist floated back into the rock along with a light that seemed to come out of Grovyle. After shaking for a moment, the stone hopped away.

"What was that?" Riolu asked, staring in the direction the stone fled.

"They got spooked and ran," Grovyle replied, struggling to stand.

"Grovyle!" Riolu exclaimed. "Are you all right?" Wincing as he stood, Grovyle nodded.

"I'll be fine," he said.

"That Pokémon was cunning," Grovyle said. "Part of it went up my nose and took control of my body."

"Which would explain why it was so weak," Xaira commented.

"So that was a bad Pokémon," Riolu said with a sigh. Grovyle shook his head.

"No," he said. "That's not true. That Spiritomb was probably upset over us trespassing in its space. It was frightening because it got so angry that it lost control over itself. But you saw what happened when the situation turned sour. It fled."

"I'm not following," Riolu replied. "Wouldn't anyone flee in that situation?"

" Yes, but, that Spiritomb is normally a timid Pokémon," Grovyle explained. "There are many such Pokémon here in your future. They are Pokémon who should be good, but they've become bitter and twisted because of this world's perpetual darkness."

"I guess I understand," Riolu said slowly, frowning. "Good Pokémon going bad because of this world…That makes me sad." Xaira frowned as well.

"Wait," she said. "If that's true, will we be affected as well if we stay here too long?"

"It's possible," Grovyle replied. A worried look came crossed Riolu's features. He gulped, but said nothing.

"So," Grovyle said suddenly. "Now will you finally trust me?"

"Maybe," Xaira stated.

"Somewhat?" Riolu added. "I'll admit it. I don't really trust you, but-"

"I told you before!" Grovyle interrupted. "There's no point in continuing together if there's no trust between us." He turned around. "I'm leaving."

"Oh, wait!" Riolu called. "I didn't say I don't believe you! To be perfectly honest, we don't know what's what anymore. That's why we want to know as much as we can learn." Riolu sighed. "It's true that I don't trust you completely, but what you said does make some sense. It just seems to be logical. So, please? Grovyle, please tell us what you know. Tell us about this future and why you came to our world."

"So, what if everything I say is a pack of lies?" Grovyle asked, turning around.

"I won't accept everything you say at face value right away," Riolu replied. "I'll listen, and then decide."

"Besides," Xaira added. "You said that you needed allies did you not? It would be a shame if you turned us away for simply wanting a more detailed explanation." Grovyle glanced between the two then sighed.

"Fine," he said. "Follow me." He turned around and printed off leading Xaira and Riolu away from the ruins. Eventually, they came across a hollow in the side of a cliff. The trio ducked inside.

"Good," Grovyle muttered, surveying the area. "This will do."

"Alright, Grovyle," Riolu said. "Why did the planet's paralysis take place?"

"The cause of the planet's paralysis dates back to your time," Grovyle replied sitting down. Riolu and Xaira followed suit. "It started with the collapse of Temporal Tower, which was governed by Dialga."

"Who's Dialga?" Riolu asked, tilting is head.

"He is the legendary Pokémon who controls time," Grovyle explained. "Dialga ensured proper flow of time from Temporal Tower. But when Temporal Tower collapsed, time gradually got out of control. And eventually, the planet fell into paralysis."

"What happened to Dialga?" Riolu asked. "If we can find him, he could probably help us."

"No," Grovyle said, shaking his head. "That's not possible."

"Why not?" Riolu asked.

"When time went out of whack, Dialga also lost control," Grovyle explained. "He has lost almost all his reason and is now governed by darkness. He has transformed into Primal Dialga, a primordial presence. Primal Dialga feels no emotion, seeking only self-preservation. So he prevents history from changing. That's why Dialga wants me gone."

"Change history?" Xaira repeated. "So you're saying-"

"I traveled back in time to prevent the planet's paralysis," Grovyle said.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "But that's completely the opposite of what we were told!" Calming down, he continued. "But what about the Time Gears? Weren't you stealing them to cause the planet's paralysis?"

"You've got to be joking!" Grovyle exclaimed. "I was collecting the Time Gears because they were needed for preventing the planet's paralysis. I needed to take them to Temporal Tower and put them in place. That would have reversed the collapse of Temporal Tower, which was fully under way in your time."

"But what about what happened in the places you removed the Time Gears?" Xaira asked. "If taking them to Temporal Tower is the right thing to do as you claim, then why does time get worse when they are removed?"

"It's only temporary," Grovyle replied. "After the Time Gears are put into Temporal Tower, time would have been fully restored to normal everywhere."

"I see," Xaira muttered, looking for any sign of deception in Grovyle's expression.

"But then, what about all the things Dusknoir said about you?" Riolu asked. "Like how he said you were a wanted outlaw. You're claiming that to be a bunch of lies?" Grovyle opened his mouth to answer, but Xaira spoke up first.

"If you really think about it," Xaira said slowly. "It kind of makes sense. Primal Dialga is most likely in charge here. And he doesn't want anyone to change history. Therefore, Grovyle is a wanted criminal for doing just that." Grovyle nodded.

"You are correct," he said. "And besides. Dusknoir is actually an agent sent from this future by Primal Dialga to get rid of me."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"I've said before that Dialga will try to thwart any attempt to alter the course of history," Grovyle continued. "That's why, when he learned that I traveled through time, he sent Dusknoir after me."

"The great…Dusknoir?" Riolu asked. "It can't be!" Grovyle glanced at him sympathetically.

"It's hard for you to believe, I know," he said. Riolu shook his head.

"I can't believe it at all!" he exclaimed. You're saying all this about the great Dusknoir?! I don't understand why Dusknoir is acting this way here, but…I respected him. I can't…" Tears began to form in his eyes.

"I know it's hard to accept," Xaira said, "but looking back over what we've been through here, what Grovyle said is reasonable. It makes perfect sense. And you know it." Riolu stared at Xaira, tears filling his eyes before making his way to the hollow's exit.

"Hey!" Grovyle called. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see Dusknoir," Riolu replied.

"What?!" Grovyle and Xaira cried.

"I want to see Dusknoir, Riolu continued. "I'm going to find out if what you said is true or not."

"Are you crazy?!" Xaira exclaimed, leaping to her feet and running in between Riolu and the exit. "What makes you think he'll tell you anything?!"

"I'll make him talk!" Riolu declared.

"How?!" Xaira asked. "How do you expect to do that?!"

"I don't know but-"

"No!" Xaira declared. "I won't let you! I don't care what I have to do, but I will not let you throw your life away like that!" Tears blurred her vision.

"Then what am I supposed to do?!" Riolu asked.

"What are you supposed to do?!" Grovyle repeated, standing up. "Didn't you wonder this earlier? And you decided that you would decide for yourself you insisted that, because you didn't know what to believe, you wouldn't accept words for their value and you'd think for yourself! It's times like this, when things are tough, that you have to be strong. Think for yourself, then act as you deem right."

"He's right," Xaira said. Riolu sighed.

"Grovyle…What are you going to do now?" he asked.

"I'm going back to the past to stop the planet's paralysis," Grovyle said. "To do that, I need to find Celebi."

"Celebi?" Riolu repeated.

"That's right," Grovyle replied. "You can come with me or not. It's your choice. You two decide on your own course of action. I'm off." He walked away. Riolu stared at the ground.

"Listen Riolu," Xaira said. "I'm not completely sure what I should believe either. But there is one thing I can say with certainty. In this future world, the planet is paralyzed. And the paralysis of this planet happened back at our world. That's why, to stop it from happening, we have to get back to the past." Riolu nodded.

"Yes," he said. "I know. Grovyle is right. Things are very tough now." He looked at Xaira with a determined expression on his features. "That's why we have to be strong. I'm alright now. Let's catch up to Grovyle.

After catching up with Grovyle, Riolu and Xaira began to walk together. A few times, Xaira caught Grovyle staring at her.

"What?" she hissed after a while.

"Nothing," Grovyle said. "You just…Never mind." Xaira stared at Grovyle, confused, before deciding not to press the matter. Eventually, they wound up in a forest. Like everywhere else, it was dark, and rocks were suspended in the air. The leaves in the trees were frozen in a way that looked like they had been blowing in the wind. Dark fog could be seen in the area.

"This is Dusk Forest," Grovyle said. "Its name comes from the dark fog that perpetually shrouds it."

"Like Fogbound Lake," Xaira said.

"Similar," Grovyle said, "but it's not the same place. Deep in this forest, we should find Celebi."

Hey, Grovyle," Riolu spoke up. "You mentioned the name before, but who is Celebi?"

"Celebi is the legendary Time Travel Pokémon," Grovyle replied. "As her title states, she has the ability to cross time. But…" He paused for a moment, as if thinking of the right words. "Well, she's a little odd. Anyway, Celebi's ability enabled me to go to the past."

"So if we find Celebi, we can return to our world," Xaira said. Grovyle nodded.

"Yes, you can go back," he said. "But. Celebi is the Pokémon that sent me to the past. That means Celebi has lent her support to reshaping history."

"Are you saying that Celebi's in trouble too?" Riolu asked.

"Yes," Grovyle said. "Primal Dialga is also targeting Celebi. So there is no time to waste."

"Wait," Riolu said as he stopped walking. Grovyle turned to face him.

"What is it now?" he asked, looking exasperated..

"If the three of us do return to our world, will you steal the Time Gears like you did before?" Riolu asked.

"Yes, I will," Grovyle replied. Otherwise, the planet's paralysis can't be stopped."

"I'm not convinced yet," Riolu said. Grovyle looked annoyed. "I'm only cooperating with you because I want to return to our world. If we do return, I'll investigate if you really were stealing those Time Gears to prevent the planet's paralysis. If I decide that you're wrong for stealing the Time Gears, I'm going to stop you!"

"Do as you will!" Grovyle snapped. "But keep this in mind. What's important now is getting ourselves safely back to your world. So for the time being, focus on getting back home." With that, the trio continued on their way. As they walked, a strange feeling came over Xaira, similar to the one she felt at Fogbound Lake. The feeling confused her. There was no way she could have been in that place before, unless she visited it in the past. Xaira was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't notice when Grovyle stopped walking. Xaira glanced around. They were in a clearing of some sort. The familiar felling was stronger here.

"Is this where Celebi is supposed to be?" Riolu asked. Grovyle nodded.

"It was around here that I met her the last time," he said. "But if Primal Dialga knows of this place, Celebi will have fled from here. If this place isn't known to our pursuers, however, then Celebi should still be here." Grovyle looked up at the trees and stepped forward. "Celebi!" he called. "It's Grovyle!"

"She's not showing up," Riolu said, looking around. "Did she get frightened off by Primal Dialga?" His eyes widened. "What if she's been captured?!"

"Captured?" a feminine voice rang through the area. "Me captured? How insulting!" Riolu glanced around frantically.

"Where'd that voice come from?!" he asked.

"Impossible, that's for sure!" Light appeared at the center of the clearing. When it faded. A small, flying pink Pokémon with large green eyes was in its place. She smiled brightly. "It's been too long my dear Grovyle."

"It has been a while, Celebi," Grovyle said.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "This tiny thing is Celebi?" The pink Pokémon's eyes narrowed.

"Now that is downright rude!" she scolded. How inappropriate! To poke fun at my petite proportions!" Riolu gulped.

"I'm sorry," he said." I heard you have the ability to cross time. So I expected you to be some awe-inspiring-" He cut himself off realizing that he was only digging himself deeper. "Wait! I mean-"

"How uncouth!" Celebi said. "Never judge someone by appearance! But…" She grinned. "I forgive you! After all, you must find me cuter and more special than you imagined!" She giggled.

"Um, yes," Riolu said, his face turning red. Celebi only giggled once more.

"Celebi," Grovyle said, stepping between the two, "I need your help again." Celebi's face turned serious.

"I know," she said. "Seeing you back here tells me everything I need to know." A worried look crossed her features. "Wait. Where is-" Grovyle shook his head. Xaira noticed a brief look of pain and worry on his face. Celebi sighed. "I hope you manage this time. I've had quite enough of this. Living in this dark and dreary world is depressing."

"We have no time to chat," Grovyle said quickly. "The Sableye are tracking us. If we don't leave soon, we'll have brought trouble to you." Celebi laughed.

"It's quite fine," she said. "There's no need to be worried. Let those Sableye come. They're of no concern to me. Besides, if you would be kind enough as to prevent the planet's paralysis, we'll finally be spared the agony of this world of darkness. My dear Grovyle, I will give my life to achieve that end!"

"Where is the Passage of Time?" Grovyle asked.

"It's on a plateau above this forest," Celebi answered. "It isn't too far from here!"

"Will you guide us, then?" Grovyle asked.

"Of course!" Celebi chirped. "Are all three of you taking the Passage of Time?"

"Yes," Grovyle answered with a nod. Celebi's eyed fell on Xaira and her eyes widened.

"Oh! What's this?" she asked, staring at her. "Your friend!"

"What!?" Xaira asked. Grovyle and Riolu were now staring at her as well. Celebi shook her head.

"No. That can't be," she muttered.

"Is something the matter, Celebi?" Grovyle asked.

"No," Celebi answered. "It's nothing. Well then. Shall we? Off to the Passage of Time." The four began on their way through the forest.

"So what's the Passage of Time?" Riolu asked.

"The Passage of Time is a portal that Celebi uses to travel through time," Grovyle explained. Celebi nodded.

" It's a secret corridor that spans dimensions," she said. "For short trips, I can travel through time all by myself. But for big trips that span many generations, I must use the Passage of Time."

"Oh! So if we were to go through that Passage of Time-" Riolu began.

"Yes," Grovyle confirmed. "You will be able to return to your time." Celebi slowed her pace a bit so that she was flying alongside Xaira. She giggled.

"You know," Celebi whispered to her, "that Grovyle is so impatient. I just wish he would slow down a bit." A somewhat sad look formed on her face. "I just wish I could spend a little more time with him." Xaira smirked.

"If you're that smitten with him-" Celebi turned red.

"Oh no, no, no!" she said quickly. "I didn't mean it like that at all! I don't have any special feelings for him or anything!"

"Obviously," Xaira stated. Celebi looked around frantically. As her attention focused on something, she looked very relieved.

"Oh! I see it!" she exclaimed. She pointed at an area where the forest ended and a rocky area began. "There's the entrance that leads up to the plateau. The Passage of Time is way up there."

"Good," Grovyle said. "Let's hurry." As the four travelled up the plateau, it was silent except for the occasional conversation between Grovyle and Celebi. Xaira didn't pay too much attention to these conversations as she didn't really care about what they were talking about. Instead, she drifted off to her thoughts. Why had that forest felt so familiar to her? Was it possible that she had been to that area in the past? Xaira sighed, concluding that when she was back in her own time, she would find that exact location and investigate.

"Oh! I see it now!" Celebi exclaimed, breaking Xaira out of her thoughts. "There it is!" Xaira looked up. Several feet in front of her was a glowing blue portal.

"Is that…the Passage of Time?" Riolu asked.

"Yes," Grovyle replied. "I went through that to go to the past." He turned to Celebi. "Celebi, only you can open the Passage of Time. Do your thing." Celebi nodded, flashing Grovyle a cheerful smile.

"Sure!" she said.

"Stop there!" a familiar voice called, making Xaira's blood run cold.

"That voice!" Grovyle exclaimed.

"It can't be!" Riolu cried.

"Hello to you all," Dusknoir said, stepping out from behind a large rock. "It's been awhile."

"You!" Xaira shouted. Dusknoir chuckled, and several Sableye crawled out from behind many of the rocks, surrounding the group.

"Your scurrying carried you far," But sad to say, that's all over now."

"That's crafty, Dusknoir," Grovyle said, glaring. "Allowing us to roam free for a while so that you could capture Celebi along with the rest of us."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "So you mean we were followed the whole time?" Grovyle sighed.

"I didn't see this coming," he muttered. "It's all my fault, Celebi."

"Apologies don't suit your style, my dear Grovyle!" Celebi replied. She laughed. "And do you honestly think that I can be caught?" Grovyle smiled weakly.

"Everyone!" he said. "Are you ready to fight?!"

"Of course!" Riolu said.

"Why wouldn't we be?" Xaira asked, preparing to fight. She glared at Dusknoir. From the look in his eye, it was obvious he was smiling.

"So you'll resist?" Dusknoir asked. "Spare yourself the effort. You have no chance of succeeding."

"We don't know for sure until we try!" Grovyle replied. "Dusknoir! You and me! Now!" Dusknoir just chuckled.

"Are you really such a fool to think that I'd come alone?" Dusknoir asked.

"What!?" Grovyle exclaimed, a look of panic crossed his features.

"Now, Master Dialga!" Dusknoir shouted. Suddenly, everything went dark with the exception of the Passage of Time barely illuminating the area.

"What's going on?!" Riolu shouted. Loud, booming footsteps could be heard, shaking the ground. High over the Passage of Time, glowing red eyes seemingly floated forward. From the Passage of Time's glow, the silhouette of an enormous Pokémon could be seen. A piercing roar cut through the air. Grovyle stared in shock.

"Th-that…" he stammered.

"Grovyle! Who-" Riolu was cut off by a rather loud growl. He whimpered a bit before pulling himself together.

"Primal Dialga," Grovyle said, barely audible.

"That's Primal Dialga?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"What's wrong, Grovyle?" Dusknoir gloated. "Where's your bravado now?"

"My dear Grovyle," Celebi whispered, placing her hand on Grovyle's shoulder.

"This…" Grovyle took a deep breath, "this is it for us."

"What?!" Xaira exclaimed. "You expect us to give up so easily?! After all we've been through"

"Why!?" Riolu demanded. "Aren't we going to fight?!" Grovyle shook his head.

"It's hopeless for us," he said. "Dusknoir on his own is one thing but we don't stand a chance against Dialga." He faced Xaira and Riolu, looking regretful. "You two kept up so well. I'm sorry to let you down."

"But…" was all Riolu managed to say. Grovyle stepped forward.

"I surrender, Dusknoir," he said. "Do with me as you will."

"It's not like you to give up so easily," Dusknoir chuckled. Xaira grit her teeth. If she still had her fists, she would have punched the Pokémon by now.

"Yes," Grovyle said. "I'm giving up." He looked back at the others. "But. Hope is still alive." Celebi's eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" Riolu asked.

"As Celebi and Dusknoir remember," Grovyle began. "That time that I traveled to the past, I wasn't alone." Dialga growled.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "Someone traveled back in time with you?"

"We headed to the past together," Grovyle confirmed. " But when we were going through the Passage of Time, we had trouble and were separated. My partner should still be back in the world of the past. Even if I am eliminated, she will see our mission through to the end." Dusknoir began to laugh. Grovyle glared at him. "What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Incidentally, what's the name of your partner?" Dusknoir asked. "Go on, say the name."

"Why ask such a thing?" Grovyle asked. "You already know that."

"You can't tell me?" Dusknoir asked. Grovyle gave him one last confused look before answering.

"Her name is Xaira," Grovyle answered. "My best friend." Riolu and Xaira's jaws dropped.

"Wh-what?!" Riolu stuttered. "Did you say Xaira? This is Xaira right here!" He pointed to Xaira who said nothing. Grovyle quickly turned to face Xaira. He shook his head.

"No," he said. "It can't be. The Xaira I know isn't a Pokémon. She is a human."

"What!?" Xaira exclaimed. She shook her head. This was crazy. It couldn't be real. Dusknoir began to laugh once more.

"Precisely!" he said. "Grovyle, that is unmistakably your friend Xaira!"

"What?!" Grovyle exclaimed, turning to examine the Eevee once more.

"That Pokémon you see was once a human!" Dusknoir explained. Xaira remained silent, unable to speak. "Master Dialga had given me a mission. It was to get rid of you Grovyle and Xaira. Because you fled to the past. I traveled through time in pursuit. In the past, I gathered intelligence that might help me find you. Eventually, I met Team Vatonage. But at that point, I suspected nothing. When Riolu mentioned the Dimensional Scream, I was skeptical at first, but an idea was forming in my mind. I became convinced when Xaira and Riolu told me all about her little problem. Xaira developed amnesia and was transformed into a Pokémon, which must be because of the accident during your time travel. Xaira's memory loss was a lucky stroke for me. After all, she failed to recognize who I am. It was quite easy earning her trust. And it was also easy to drag her and her new partner here when the time came."

"So you really were lying!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Which left you Grovyle," Dusknoir continued, ignoring him, "the last part of the job to finish. Grovyle and Xaira! With the both of you here, everything will end when we finally dispose of you. That will finally put an end to Grovyle's glimmer of hope! Everything ends for you!"

"Dusknoir!" Riolu cried, seething with anger. "You-"

"Have you finally come to terms with your fate?" Dusknoir asked, staring directly at Riolu.

"Grovyle?" Riolu said. Grovyle didn't respond, looking very defeated. Riolu looked at Xaira, who was just staring at the ground, shaking her head. "Xaira!" Riolu shouted. "Grovyle! You can't give up!"

"You say not to give up?" Grovyle asked. "But what could we possibly do in this bleak situation?"

"We have to think!" Riolu responded frantically. Riolu glanced around quickly, looking for a way out. His eyes landed on the Passage of Time. "I know! Celebi! Can your time travel ability transport us just a short distance into the Passage of Time?"

"It won't be easy with Dialga here!" Celebi replied. "Dialga is the Temporal Pokémon. He controls time itself! Even if I can make us travel in time, he'll have no trouble exposing it!"

"It just has to work for an instant!" Riolu said. "Please!"

"Attack!" Dusknoir ordered. The Sableye began to close in.

"Time to travel!" Celebi shouted. A light enveloped the four Pokémon. When the light faded, Xaira looked around. Everything looked distorted. She broke into a run. Suddenly, she heard a shattering sound. As she looked around her it looked like everything was falling apart. She was Knocked off of her feet, and everything briefly went dark. When Xaira opened her eyes, she noticed that she and the others were just inches away from the Passage of Time.

"There they are!" Dusknoir shouted. He and the Sableye rushed towards the group. Celebi floated towards the oncoming Pokémon.

"Dive now!" she ordered. "You can make it!"

"What about you?" Riolu asked.

"Don't fret over me!" Celebi replied. "I told you I can't be caught! Stop the planet's paralysis! Change history!"

"Thank you," Grovyle said with a nod. "And good-bye."

"You're not getting away!" Dusknoir declared. Wasting no time, Riolu, Xaira, and Grovyle dove into the portal.


	18. A New Dawn

_**Finally! Sorry this took so long! I've been very busy lately. Also, updates will not be common until May. I'll still to try to keep working, though I have a busy schedule.I also want to apologize that I haven't updated my other stories, but I'm not happy with my character designs or personalities yet. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter! Also, please notify me of any mistakes and tell me how I'm doing. This novelization is writing practice, so constructive criticism will help me with my other stories.**_

* * *

The first thing Xaira heard was the crashing of waves. She opened her eyes. It was dark with the exception of the light of the moon. With a grin, she quickly stood up, only to fall over again. She was exhausted, but at that moment, she didn't care. Slowly, she rose to her feet and made her way to Riolu, who was just waking up.

"We're back," she whispered.

"What?" Riolu asked before glancing around "Isn't this where I met you? That means…" He interrupted himself with joyful laughter. "We made it!" He turned to Grovyle, who was standing nearby. "Hey Grovyle! Look! We made it home!"

"I see," Grovyle said, glancing around cautiously.

"This is where I met Xaira," Riolu explained. "I found her out cold by that rock over there." Grovyle nodded.

"So that's what happened," he said. "That trip through time sent me into the Eastern Forest."

"That reminds me," Riolu said. " There's a lot I still don't understand!" He glanced around. "But this really isn't the placed to talk so…Let's go to Wigglytuff's Guild and talk there."

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," Xaira said.

"Xaira has a point," Grovyle said. "I'm a wanted criminal in this world. If I went to your guild, don't you think they'd try to capture me?"

"You're right," Riolu replied with a sigh. He thought for a moment. "There is another place. But it will involve going through Treasure Town."

"It shouldn't be a problem if we lie low and sneak through," Grovyle said.

"And it's dark out," Xaira added. "I doubt that many Pokémon will be there anyway."

"It's decided then," Riolu said. "Let's go."

As expected, there were few Pokémon lingering in the town, so it was easy for the trio to pass through without being noticed. Eventually, they arrived at Sharpedo Bluff.

"Where is this?" Grovyle asked, glancing around.

"This cliff is known as Sharpedo Bluff," Riolu explained. "I think the name comes from the fact that the cliff itself is shaped like a Pokémon named Sharpedo." He made his way to what looked like a rather large bush nearby. He pushed it to the side, revealing a staircase. "This way." After the trio entered, Riolu put the false bush back in its place. Xaira glanced around the room she had just stepped in. It was small, but not cramped. On the far side was an opening that allowed a view of the ocean.

"I'm glad no one's wrecked the place," Riolu remarked, examining the area. "That's proof for how little notice this place attracts. No one comes by here much. Well, except for a Pokémon that yells at the ocean occasionally. It may be better if we stay here for the time being."

"Agreed," Grovyle said with a nod. "Let's get a fire going. I'll explain everything then." After a short time the trio gathered around a small fire inside the room. Grovyle passed a roasted berry to Xaira.

"Thank you," Xaira muttered. Grovyle nodded.

"I remember when you showed me this a while back," he said. Xaira said nothing; "I never expected you very same human that traveled back in time with me," Grovyle continued. "And to think that I almost-"

"Grovyle, can you tell us more about that?" Riolu interrupted. "About you and Xaira I mean."

"Of course," Grovyle replied. "Xaira and I were jointly investigating the planet's paralysis."

"A Pokémon and a human working together?" Riolu asked.

"Yes," Grovyle answered. "As strange as it sounds." He briefly glanced at Xaira before continuing. "Xaira had…or has…a special ability like no other. We relied on it to investigate the planet's paralysis. It played a vital part."

"By special ability, do you mean the Dimensional Scream?" Riolu asked

"Exactly," Grovyle said. "But the Dimensional Scream has a drawback. It can only be used when its user feels a deep sense of trust for another. Without trust, it can't be triggered. That's why we worked together. Additionally, is also set off by triggers in places where the Time Gears are hidden. We needed to find out where the Time Gears were in the past and we needed the Dimensional Scream to accomplish that."

"Wait," Riolu said. "You said deep feelings of trust were needed for the Dimensional Scream to work. But it worked not long after Xaira and I met!"

"Your point?" Grovyle asked with a slight chuckle." Does that not just show how much you two trusted each other from the start?" Riolu turned red and quickly looked down to hide his face.

"Well, when you put it like that, it's kind of embarrassing," he mumbled.

"Think about it," Grovyle said. "Xaira developed amnesia. Upon meeting you, she had someone to turn to. Perhaps Xaira grew to trust you very easily because of that."

"I guess," Riolu said. "But there's another thing I don't understand. You said that the Dimensional Scream only triggered in response to Time Gears."

"Right." Grovyle confirmed. "The opposite is also true. The Dimensional Scream is not triggered in places that have no connection to the Time Gears." Riolu thought for a moment.

"But I remember it being set off in areas that seemed to have no connection to the Time Gears whatsoever," he said. Grovyle looked confused for a split second.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Xaira nodded.

"I don't think Drowzee was anyway connected to a Time Gear," Xaira said. "Unless that treasure he mentioned…" she trailed off.

"Well, if that's true," Grovyle said. "I don't know why it would work differently here. Perhaps the nature of the Dimensional Scream is altered in the past."

"That explains why it didn't work that one time," Riolu muttered.

"As I was saying," Grovyle continued, "we were investigating the planet's paralysis. We used the Dimensional Scream to identify the locations of the Time Gears in your world while we were in the future. After that, we took the Passage of Time to the past. However, we encountered some turbulence causing us to be separated. I can only guess that Xaira's amnesia and transformation into a Pokémon had something to do with our accident while traveling in time."

"All that time wondering who I was," Xaira said. "Now that I have the answer…" She trailed off for a moment. Xaira sighed. "This just doesn't feel real." Grovyle gave her a sad, but sympathetic look.

"Xaira," he said, moving closer and placing his hand on her paw. "You may not remember any of this, but you were…are…my closest friend. I worried about you when we were separated, and I'm glad to see you're safe." Xaira didn't respond. "Your appearance may have changed, and though you lost your memory, you're still you. And none of this alters the fact that you remain my friend. Xaira…I'm glad to see you again." Grovyle moved away from her. "Now. We have to decide on our course of action. Like I've told you before, I'm going to collect the Time Gears again. What are you going to do?"

"I'm a little worried about how time stops in the region where its Time Gear is removed," Riolu said. "Are you sure it will only be temporary?" Grovyle nodded.

"As soon as the Time Gears are set in place in Temporal Tower, time will be restored to its normal state everywhere," he answered. Riolu stayed silent for a moment, lost in thought.

"In that case, we'll go too," he finally said. "Taking a Time Gear will badly affect the Pokémon that live in that area, but we have to prevent the planet's paralysis!"

"OK, then," Grovyle said. "We'll all go together. But the hour is late. We should rest up tonight. We'll leave in the morning." With that, the three Pokémon put out the fire and got ready for a more than welcome rest.

….

It was still dark when Grovyle woke up. He glanced around the small room. He smiled softly when his eyes fell on Xaira who was still fast asleep. It was relieving to know that she was alive. Although, the scars across her face still bothered him. For a moment, he wondered what could have injured his friend. He glanced around the room once more, noticing that Riolu was nowhere in sight. He frowned. As quietly as possible, Grovyle crept up the stairs and outside. He glanced around the area, noticing Riolu sitting on the edge of the cliff.

"What's the matter?" Grovyle asked, causing Riolu to jump. Grovyle approached Riolu and sat down beside him. "Can't sleep?" Riolu nodded.

"Yes," he said. "Just thinking."

"About Dusknoir?" Grovyle asked.

"No, that's not it," Riolu answered. "Sure, finding out we were being deceived came as a real shock. And I'm still getting over the shock of being betrayed and nearly executed. But hearing your story earlier really drove it home. What Dusknoir said in the future was really true. It made me realize that Xaira really did come from the future."

"She's really something, isn't she?" Grovyle asked.

"She's something alright," Riolu answered with a chuckle. Riolu glanced over his shoulder for a moment. He grinned and jumped up, pointing at the light peaking over the hills. "Hey! Look, Grovyle! It's the sunrise!" Grovyle stood up as well, staring at the morning light. He closed his eyes recalling the first time he felt the sun's warmth. "Maybe it's because we were in the future for so long," Riolu continued, "but I didn't think that a sunrise could ever feel so renewing!" Riolu paused for a moment. "The sun rises, then it sets. We take that for granted. But the things that we take for granted are the most essential. And they're precious."

"All I'd ever known is the future's world of darkness," Grovyle said. "Upon coming to this world and seeing the sun for the first time…It was staggering. Seeing it strengthened my resolve to turn history away from a future of darkness."

"Now that I think about it," Riolu said. "That's probably why Xaira seemed so fascinated by the simplest things when I first found her."

"There is one thing that I wanted to ask you," Grovyle said, turning away from the sunrise. "When we were confronted by Dialga, when all seemed lost, you refused to give up. Even I had given up. What compelled you? How did you manage to remain so strong?"

"I really don't know," Riolu said, thinking for a moment. "But maybe it was because Xaira stood by me."

"Xaira?" Grovyle asked. Riolu nodded.

"Take a look at this," he said, removing a grey stone from around his neck. Grovyle examined the stone taking note of its pattern.

"What is it?" Grovyle asked. "I've never seen a pattern like this."

"This is my Relic Fragment," Riolu explained. "It's my dream that I'll solve the mystery of it one day. But I was such a coward. I couldn't work up the courage to go to the guild and apply as an apprentice." Riolu smiled. "Then I met Xaira. Since then, she was always there to cheer me up. With Xaira, I eventually felt like I could overcome any challenge. Maybe that's why I was able to keep going without giving up!" Grovyle nodded

"I think I understand what you're saying," he said. "Xaira has a special quality that makes others feel that way. The same way that I care for Xaira as a friend…You feel the same way. Xaira is lucky to be blessed with a friend like you."

"The things one hears while lurking in the shadows," Xaira said, stepping out from the room.

"Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Considering that he cliff hollow is directly below where you two are talking," Xaira replied. "I heard plenty. By the way, Riolu, that little speech of yours was quite moving. I didn't know you felt that way." Riolu turned red. "Anyway, as much as I hate to interrupt your touching and borderline cheesy conversation, we have a planet to save. I would hate to have to experience that paralyzed planet ever again." Grovyle nodded.

"We should be leaving soon," he said. "Are you feeling-"

"I'm fine," Xaira stated. "Still slightly in shock, but fine. We should get to planning what we're going to do."

…

"All right, It's agreed that we collect all of the necessary Time Gears," Grovyle said as the trio of Pokémon gathered around the Wonder Map back in the cliff. "First of all, we need to decide which one we should target first."

"From here, the Underground Lake would be the closest, I guess," Riolu said.

"But we'd have to deal with Mesprit," Xaira stated. "I doubt she'd take kindly to Grovyle being with us."

"How about Treeshroud Forest?" Grovyle said indicating a large forest quite far from Treasure Town. "That was where I got my first Time Gear the last time. It's a little far from here, but, there's no one like Mesprit protecting the Time Gear."

"That's good," Riolu said. "If we fight someone for the Time Gear, that would attract attention. That won't be a concern here then, will it?"

"Exactly," Grovyle said.

"In that case, let's get a move on," Xaira said. "The sooner we grab the Time Gear, the better."

After about a day and a half of travelling, the trio reached the entrance of Treeshroud Forest.

"This is it," Grovyle said. He glanced around, looking concerned.

"What is it, Grovyle?" Riolu asked. Grovyle shook his head and shrugged.

"The atmosphere somehow feels different than last time," he said. "I could be imagining it."

"There's a chill in the air," Xaira said. "I feel something else too, but I can't really identify what it is." She shook her head. "Never mind that. We need to get that Time Gear."

The three began their trek through the forest. As they walked, Xaira noticed an odd stillness. It was unnerving. To add to it, no Pokémon were to be found within the woods. She shuddered. After a while of walking the trio spotted something more alarming. All color in the area was dull. Raindrops hung suspended in the air. The leaves in the trees were frozen in place, looking as if they had been caught in a powerful wind.

" Wh-What is this?!" Grovyle exclaimed.

"Time is-" Xaira was cut off by Riolu's cry of alarm.

"What is it?" Xaira asked, rushing to his side. Riolu could only point to a something beyond a few trees and behind some bushes. Xaira stepped closer to get a closer look. Her eyes widened when she saw what had startled Riolu. Standing there, frozen in place was a Houndoom. The Houndoom looked as if he were fleeing from something. His face was twisted into an expression off horror.

"Time has completely stopped here," Grovyle stated.

"Obviously," Xaira said, still staring at the Houndoom.

"Just before we were dragged off to the future, didn't Uxie and his friends promise to return the Time Gears to their rightful places?" Riolu asked.

"But time remains stopped here," Grovyle said.

"Maybe the Time Gears haven't been returned to their rightful places yet," Riolu suggested.

"We'll see about that," Grovyle replied. "The Time Gear was just up ahead." The three left the Houndoom behind and continued to travel through the forest. Soon enough, they reached the deepest part of the forest. There, hovering over a few roots, was the Time Gear.

"Well, there it is," Xaira said.

"The Time Gear has been returned to its rightful place," Riolu said. "But why has time stopped?" Not replying, Grovyle walked up to the Time Gear and snatched it.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Riolu exclaimed. Grovyle shrugged.

"Time has already stopped here," he said. "It won't matter if I take the Time Gear now." He paused for a moment, glancing around. "There's also something more worrying."

"What?" Riolu asked. Grovyle shook his head.

"Forget it.," he replied. "Let's leave" He took a few steps and paused. "Also, Riolu, there's something I'd like you to do."

"What would that be?" Riolu asked.

"Before you go back to Sharpedo Bluff, I'd like you to gather some information in Treasure Town," Grovyle said. "Learn everything you can about what's happening in this world right now." Riolu nodded.

"OK," Riolu said. "I can do that."

"One more thing," Grovyle continued. "Everyone thinks that you've gone to the future. So-"

"I understand," Riolu interrupted. "If they found out I'm back, there would be an uproar. I'll keep low and get some news."

"I'm counting on you," Grovyle replied. When the trio returned to Sharpedo Bluff, it was almost noon. Riolu rushed to Treasure Town soon after arrival, leaving Grovyle and Xaira alone.

"Grovyle," Xaira spoke up after a moment of silence. "Can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Grovyle asked.

"I was wondering," Xaira said. "When I came to the past with you, did I leave anyone behind?"

"We had a few friends working with us," Grovyle replied.

No," Xaira said, "I mean…Did I have a family?" Grovyle sighed.

"You did," he replied. "Sort of. I can tell you about them if you really want to know."

"Something tells me it's not the happiest of stories," Xaira said.

"It's complicated," Grovyle said. "And a rather long tale." Xaira nodded.

"It can wait then. Well, at least until we fix this paralysis problem. You can fully explain then, right?" Grovyle said nothing, suddenly becoming fascinated with the ground.

"Listen Xaira," Grovyle sighed. "There's something I-"

"I'm back!" Riolu's voice called. He sprinted down the stairs. "I got the information you wanted."

"What's the word?" Grovyle asked, crossing his arms.

"The word is…not good," Riolu replied. "Uxie and his friends returned the Time Gears to their rightful places; however time remains stopped in those areas as we saw in Treeshroud Forest. It gets worse, though."

"Of course it does," Xaira grumbled.

"It's spreading," Riolu continued. "No one can figure out what the problem is." Grovyle sighed.

"If time is stopping in a spreading area, it can only mean one thing," he said. "Temporal Tower is starting to collapse. The planet's paralysis is coming on fast."

"We have to hurry then!" Riolu exclaimed.

"I know," Grovyle said with a nod. "There's only one way to stop the destruction of time now. We need to gather the Time Gears. Then the Time Gears must be put in place in Temporal Tower where Dialga lives."

"Let's do it then!" Riolu said. "We have four more Time Gears to go, right? If we hurry-"

"Not so fast," Grovyle interrupted. "Temporal Tower is located in a place called the Hidden Land. As the name suggests, no one knows where it really is."

"But we have no time!" Riolu cried.

"That's why I think we need to split up for now," Grovyle said. "I'll go collect the Time Gears. In the meantime, I want you two to search for the Hidden Land."

"Understood," Xaira said.

"OK then," Grovyle said, nodding at Xaira. "You're in charge. Considering that no one has discovered the Hidden Land yet, we should probably assume that it is quite far away. We must even consider crossing the sea." With a quick farewell, Grovyle scurried up the stairs.

"So…where shall we begin looking?" Riolu asked. Xaira shrugged.

"I haven't seen anything that could be connected to a place like that," she said. "Do you think one of the Lake Guardians would know?" Riolu shrugged.

"Maybe," he said, "but I don't want to accidently get in Grovyle's way. Also, were supposed to be in the future, remember?" Riolu paused thinking. "For the time being, why don't we consider how we should cross the sea? Grovyle mentioned that we may have to do so."

"Alright then," Xaira said. "Let's go."

…

"So you have no way to get to the other continents?" Xaira asked as she and Riolu walked along the beach.

"Well there's the Lapras Liner," Riolu answered. "But it only goes to certain towns in the continents." Xaira stared at the ocean. A familiar feeling swept over her. Something was drawing her toward the ocean, but what? Riolu let out a frustrated sigh, snapping Xaira out of her thoughts.

I know we agreed to help find the Hidden Land, but I have no idea where to start looking," Riolu said. "And there's no time!"

"Let's go to Wigglytuff's Guild," Xaira said suddenly.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "But we just got dragged into the future in front of everyone! If we just show up out of the blue, how would they react?!" Calming himself, Riolu continued. "I think that everyone would be really worried about us, and I miss everyone too. But everything we saw in the future, everything about Dusknoir and Grovyle and your past…How can they believe us? Do you really think they will?" Xaira sighed.

"I don't know," she admitted, "but we won't know until we try."

"But everyone thinks that Grovyle is the villain and that Dusknoir is a good Pokémon!" Riolu said. "I saw the truth and I still don't want to believe it! How could they accept it?"

"What you're saying is true," Xaira said. "Maybe no one will believe us if we tell them the truth. But. We need everyone's help." Riolu sighed.

"I understand," he said. "We can't find the Hidden Land on our own. If we don't get help, we'll run out of time." Smiling, Riolu nodded. " Xaira, you're right. Let's go home.


	19. The Guild's Crew

_**Sorry this took so long I've been very busy. Anyway, I just wanted to let you guys know that I've been thinking about focusing on my other stories a bit more. This is good practice and all, but a novelization can only do so much to help improve my writing skills. Anyway, don't be afraid to notify me if you see any mistakes. Thank you!**_

* * *

"Here we are, Xaira," Riolu said as the duo stood in front of the Wigglytuff's Guild. "It feels as if we were gone for a long time. But…" he trailed off.

"What is it Riolu?" Xaira asked.

" Now that we're here, it's kind of awkward to go in.," Riolu explained. "After all, we were suddenly taken away in front of everyone. It would be sort of strange to suddenly show up."

"We can't back down now," Xaira stated.

"I know," Riolu replied with a nod. "We have to tell them the truth." Riolu walked up to the sentry grate. He took a deep breath and stood on top of it.

"Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!" Diglett's voice rang, making Riolu jump slightly

"Whose footprint? Whose footprint?" Loudred asked.

"The footprint belongs to…" Diglett trailed off.

"What's wrong, Diglett?" Loudred asked. "Respond! Respond!"

"That footprint!" Diglett replied, his voice slightly shaky. "It's Riolu!"

"What?!" Loudred exclaimed. Suddenly, Diglett popped out of the ground in front of Riolu, causing him to jump back.

"Diglett!" Riolu greeted with a grin. "Long time no see!" The ground shook as the guild's gate opened. The apprentices came stampeding out and surrounded Riolu and Xaira.

"Hey, hey! It's true!" Corphish cried.

"Oh my gosh! It really is Xaira and Riolu!" Sunflora cheered.

"You're both ALIVE!" Loudred exclaimed.

"We worried so much about you!" Chimecho said.

"I…I was, by golly!" Bidoof sniffed, fighting back happy tears.

"Everyone…" Riolu said, tears forming in his eyes. "We're home." Wigglytuff and Chatot stepped outside of the guild. Wigglytuff approached Xaira and Riolu and gave them a warm smile.

"Welcome home," he said.

….

"So, that's the gist of your story?" Chatot asked as soon as Riolu and Xaira finished telling the guild members all that had happened, including Xaira's origins much to her reluctance. Riolu nodded.

"Yes," he said. "That's everything." Chatot began to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Xaira demanded.

"You must have had a bad dream or something!" Chatot replied after composing himself. "Why don't the two of you just go to your room and get some rest?"

"You think we're lying?!" Riolu exclaimed. "What we just told you is all true!"

"I'm sure, I'm sure!" Chatot said with a wave of his wing. " You two are suffering from exhaustion! A good nap will fix that!"

"Excuse me?!" Xaira exclaimed. "We almost died! Get that through your skull you condescending-"

"We're telling the truth!" Riolu interrupted.

"That's quite enough!" Chatot snapped. "Is there any part of your story that's even remotely plausible? A place called the Hidden Land? I'm the head of intelligence here, and I've heard of no such place. Besides, the great Dusknoir is far too kind to do anything like you've alleged." Riolu sighed.

"I couldn't believe the truth about Dusknoir either," he said. "But-"

"Shush! I will hear no more of this!" Chatot exclaimed. "I don't care what you say! The great Dusknoir, the villain?! How can anybody seriously think of the great Dusknoir as a villain?!" He turned to the other apprentices. "Seriously, don't you all feel the same way?"

"We hold Dusknoir to a high esteem," Dugtrio said after a moment of thought. "We cannot believe it."

"See?" Chatot asked. "Everyone shares the same opinion!"

"But…" Sunflora spoke up.

"What is it Sunflora?" Chatot asked.

"There is something about Dusknoir that I don't understand," Sunflora continued, nervously looking around. "Don't you remember when Dusknoir was saying his goodbyes? It was because of him that Riolu and Xaira ended up in the future in the first place."

"Really?" Chatot asked. "Don't you think that Riolu and Xaira fell into the dimensional hole by accident?" Xaira opened her mouth to retort, but Loudred spoke up.

"No way!" he said. "Dusknoir grabbed them and YANKED them in!"

"If what Riolu said is true, then what Dusknoir did suddenly makes perfect sense!" Chimecho added. The other apprentices began to murmur in agreement.

"What? Wait a minute!" Chatot exclaimed, flapping his wings. "So is that what you think now? Are you actually saying that you believe them!?" The apprentices went silent, glancing at each other.

"I believe them," Bidoof spoke up.

"Bidoof! You're now claiming that the great Dusknoir is a villain?" Chatot asked.

"Golly, I surely did think highly of the great Dusknoir," Bidoof admitted. "But there's something more important here! That's why I believe what Xaira and Riolu have to say!" The other apprentices began to agree.

"Thank you everyone," Riolu said, tears forming in his eyes.

"Sounds like we all agree," Wigglytuff said. "We all believe our friends! That's great! So let's go searching for the Hidden Land!"

"Whoa! Just hold ON there, Guildmaster!" Loudred spoke up.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Wigglytuff asked.

"We're not ALL in agreement yet, are we?" Loudred asked. "We're all good with the story. But I suspect Chatot isn't convinced."

"Is that all?" Wigglytuff asked. "You don't have to worry about Chatot! Chatot is convinced, right? Because Chatot believed Riolu's story all along!"

There was a collective "What?!"

"Well, Guildmaster, there's no fooling you," Chatot said. "I admit it. Yes, I believed Xaira and Riolu right from the start. But if I would have said that I believed them right away, everyone would have just gone along with what I said."

"What's all this?" Loudred asked.

"You have got to be kidding me," Xaira muttered.

"I wanted to put your friendship to the test!" Chatot continued. "But without a doubt, I was convinced from the get-go! I knew everyone would surely believe their colleagues."

"Gosh, likely story," Bidoof said.

"I believe you!" Wigglytuff said. "You're my good friends in guild membership! Now! Time is stopping in more and more places! From Riolu's story, we know that our world is in danger! We will combine our efforts and discover the Hidden Land!"

"From now on, we're shifting all our efforts to locating the Hidden Land!" Chatot announced. "We also have to let everyone know what is happening in our world. It's going to get busy. We'll all have to work hard!"

"I'll putter down to Treasure Town!" Bidoof said. "I'll get the word out!"

"We have to let Azelf and his friends know too!" Sunflora added.

"Hey hey!" I'll go tell them!" Corphish offered.

"OK! Everyone else, start searching for the Hidden Land." Chatot said. He turned to the volunteers. "Once your errands are done, gather information on the Hidden Land with the others."

"I'm sorry that I don't have any information on the Hidden Land." Wigglytuff said. "But maybe Torkoal, the town elder may know something."

"He's the wisest and oldest Pokémon in Treasure Town." Chatot said. "He loves the Hot Spring, so he's always there. In fact, I'm positive that you'll find him at the Hot Spring!"

"I remember him!" Riolu said. "Remember Xaira? He was that nice old Pokémon we met after exploring the waterfall! Let's go see him!"

"But first," Chimecho said. "It's getting late. You need some rest. You should have dinner and get a good night's sleep." After dinner, Riolu and Xaira headed back to their old room.

"I never thought I'd actually miss this place," Xaira said as she sat on her bed.

"It's been so long since we've been in this room," Riolu said, looking round. "It feels like we're finally home."

"I suppose so," Xaira said.

"You know, I'm glad everyone came to believe our story," Riolu said. "Anyway, let's go meet Torkoal tomorrow. Goodnight, Xaira." The next morning, the duo was awakened by Loudred.

"I definitely didn't miss that," Xaira muttered as she yawned. "Do you think I could move back to Sharpedo Bluff?" Riolu sighed, shaking his head.

"You're the one who wanted to come back here," he said.

"I never said anything about staying," Xaira replied. She yawned once more.

"Didn't sleep well?" Riolu asked.

"Not really," Xaira admitted. "It's nothing to be bothered about though."

"Alright the," Riolu said. "We need to go see Torkoal after the morning briefing."

After the morning briefing, Riolu and Xaira walked down the stairs to the guild.

"Riolu! Xaira!" a voice called. Xaira looked up to see Wooper and Electrike running towards them.

"You're alive!" Wooper cried.

"What happened?" Electrike asked.

"We'll explain later," Riolu said. "Right now, we have to get to Waterfall Cave!"

"We'll go with you," Wooper said.

….

"So Grovyle's the good guy?" Wooper asked as the group made their way through the cave.

"Yes," Riolu said. "I know it's hard to believe."

"Hard to believe doesn't even cover it," Electrike said. "Your saying that not only was Dusknoir evil, but Xaira here is also from the future and was once a human that was sent back in time to prevent the planet's paralysis along with Grovyle!"

"And?" Xaira said.

"Nothing!" Electrike said. "It's just a little bizarre, you know. Anyway, after all this is over do you want to grab a drink at Spinda's?" Xaira sighed.

"Listen," she said. "I'm not-"

"Here we are," Riolu said when they reached the gem room.

"Here we go," Xaira muttered as Riolu pressed the giant gem and triggered the water to flow through the room, carrying the group of Pokémon the way..

"Next time, we're walking," Xaira grumbled as she stood up in the hot spring.

"Excuse me, Mr. Torkoal," Riolu spoke up as he approached the elderly Pokémon.

"Hm? Ah, my young friends Come to wash away your exhaustion?"

"Regrettably, no," Xaira said. "You're rather old right?"

"Xaira!" Riolu hissed.

"We were wondering if you've come across certain information in all your years."

"I see…" Torkoal said. "You've come to seek my wisdom."

"Right," Xaira said. "Have you heard of a place called the Hidden Land?"

"The Hidden Land you say?" Torkoal asked. "I have heard of it"

"Really?" Riolu asked. "Please tell us everything you know!"

"The Hidden Land is truly a place of legend," Torkoal said. "It's tattered lore at best, handed down by oral tradition."

"No matter." Riolu said, shaking his head. "Please tell us!" Torkoal nodded.

"Of course," he said. "I can tell you only what I have heard."

"That's perfectly fine," Xaira said. "Every little bit helps.

"The Hidden Land lies beyond the sea in a hidden place, so the story goes," Torkoal said.

"A hidden place?" Riolu asked.

"Yes," Torkoal said. "The Hidden Land allows only the chosen to find it. To go there, you must possess certain qualities."

"What qualities?" Riolu asked.

"They are…" Torkoal trailed off for a moment. "Now what we're they?" he began to mutter to himself. After a short moment, he turned back to the group of young Pokémon. "I'm sorry, it slipped my mind."

"Seriously?!" Xaira exclaimed.

"You've forgotten?" Riolu asked. "Please Torkoal! Please remember! This is really important!"

"That's easy for you to say," Torkoal replied before going back to muttering to himself. "Oh! I remember! You need proof!"

"Proof?" Riolu asked. "What kind of proof?"

"That would be…" Torkoal trailed off. He shook his head. "Forgive me, but I have forgotten again. I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"He's senile," Xaira stated. Riolu sighed, frustrated.

"Can you recall anything else at all?" he asked. Torkoal shook his head.

"No," he said. "That's all. Forgive me youngsters. If I re call what proof you need, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Thank you," Riolu replied. "Let's head back to the guild, Xaira."

….

"So Torkoal didn't have any answers," Chatot said with a sigh upon hearing Riolu's report.

"Oh that's not true!" Wigglytuff said. "We know that we need proof! And knowing that is a step forward!"

"We will continue our search tomorrow!" Chatot announced "Dismissed!"

"We're not making as much progress as we'd hoped," Riolu said that night after dinner. "I wonder how Grovyle's doing?"

"He's probably fine," Xaira said.

"Can I ask you something?" Riolu asked.

"What is it?" Xaira replied

"What do think you're going to do after all this?" Riolu asked. "Are you going to go back to the future?" Xaira shook her head.

"I honestly don't know," she replied. "I'd really like to know more about my past, but…"

"What?"

"Honestly," Xaira said, "I wouldn't want to leave you behind."

"Really?" Riolu asked.

"Sure," Xaira replied with a shrug. "After all, someone has to make sure you don't get yourself killed. " Riolu just laughed.

"Good night, Xaira," he said. "We can continue our search tomorrow."

"In short," Chatot said the next day during the morning briefing, "the Hidden Land remains shrouded in mystery. But we're not giving up!" Eventually, Chatot dismissed the apprentices to continue their search. The apprentices gathered in groups to discuss their plans for the day.

"Where should we go investigate today, Xaira?" Riolu asked. "We're out of leads."

"There's always the Dimensional Scream," Xaira said.

"Pokémon detected! Pokémon detected!" Diglett's voice rang through the guild. "The footprint belongs to Torkoal, the town elder! The footprint belongs to Torkoal, the town elder!"

"What's he doing here?" Xaira muttered. After what felt like hours of waiting, Torkoal made his way to the lowest floor in the guild.

"Finally, I'm here," Torkoal remarked. "Climbing up to this guild is hard on these old bones."

"Did you remember something?" Riolu asked.

"Indeed, I did," Torkoal said. "But I've recalled only one more tiny thing, sorry to say. I worry if it would be even worthwhile sharing with you."

"Every little bit of information helps!" Wigglytuff said. "Please, do tell!"

"When we spoke of travel to the Hidden Land yesterday, I said that you needed proof of your qualification to go there." Torkoal said. "The proof bears an inscription of a certain pattern. I can't describe it, but I can tell you the pattern is quite intricate and odd."

"An odd pattern?" Riolu asked.

"Yes," Torkoal said. "I really am sorry. This information is likely to be completely useless to you."

"Wait!" Xaira said. "Riolu! Your Relic Fragment!"

"My Relic Fragment?" Riolu asked. His eyes widened in realization. "Right! The pattern! Excuse me could you have a look at this?" He removed the stone from around his neck and showed it to Torkoal.

"Oh! This is it!" Torkoal said. "Where did you get this?"

"I don't really remember," Riolu said, placing the Relic Fragment back around his neck. "I just happened to pick it up."

"Since Riolu has this, does this mean he's qualified?" Sunflora asked.

"To go to the Hidden Land, one must surely possess that proof," Torkoal said. "But that doesn't necessarily mean that the bearer of the proof really possesses the qualifications to be chosen. That proof may merely be the physical key to the Hidden Land."

"But there's no question that this pattern has something to do with the Hidden Land?" Wigglytuff asked. "Knowing that is a lot!"

"Wait," Torkoal said. "You realize that the Hidden Land is only a spoken legend? You're surely not trying to find the Hidden Land?"

"We are!" Wigglytuff said.

"My goodness!" Torkoal exclaimed. "What a surprise!"

"Chatot! This pattern…We've seen that before haven't we?" Wigglytuff asked. Chatot nodded.

"Yes," he said. "The sea inlet to the northwest, inside Brine Cave." Chatot shuddered. "But Guildmaster! That place!" Wigglytuff gave him a sympathetic look.

"Yes, I know," he said. " That vicious bandit." Wigglytuff turned to address the apprentices. "Everyone please listen! I once saw this same pattern deep inside a place called Brine Cave. I think we can discover more by taking the Relic Fragment there. However, there is one problem. A Pokémon lurks there who is a vicious bandit."

"Hey, hey! We're not about to let that scare us!" Corphish said.

"Aren't we explorers?" Loudred asked. Sunflora nodded.

"We all need to be brave!" she added.

"Thank you!" Wigglytuff said. "But that place is challenging. Everyone should take time today to get ready. We'll set off to Brine Cave tomorrow!"

"I thought that the Hidden Land was nothing more than folklore!" Torkoal laughed. "Getting old has made my thinking so inflexible. That's very sad. This all makes me remember the days I longed for romance and adventure! Help me see me see my dreams again!"

"Yes!" Wigglytuff nodded. "You can count on us!"

"Thank you, Torkoal!" Riolu said as the old Pokémon walked away.

"Okay, everyone go get ready!" Wigglytuff said. With that, the apprentices headed for Treasure Town. After a bit of shopping, and speaking with several Treasure Town residences who welcomed them back, Riolu and Xaira decided that they had everything ready for the trip.

"Everybody here's so weepy," Xaira commented.

"They thought the worst, Xaira," Riolu said.

"There's still no need to get all worked up," Xaira replied. "Kangaskhan nearly killed me with that hug."

"Anyway," Riolu said, "we should go over to Sharpedo Bluff before we go back to the guild just in case Grovyle has come back."

"Sure," Xaira said. "Maybe he's seen something in his travels." They made their way to Sharpedo Bluff and entered the cliff.

"He's not here," Riolu said, looking around. He noticed a scrap of paper on the ground, rushing forward, he examined it. " Look, Xaira! A note! It's written in Footprint Runes. I'll translate it."

"To Xaira and Riolu,

How are you doing? How goes your search for the Hidden Land? Things are going well on my end. I only have two Time Gears left to collect. I will join up with you once I've gathered all five. Azelf told me that members of your guild told him and his friends that I was coming and allowed me to take the Time Gear without a fight. Thank you. It's heartening to know that more and more Pokémon are coming to trust us.

However, I will continue to stay away from Treasure Town and the guild. First, I'm not certain if the Pokémon in this world trust me entirely or not. But that's not the sole reason. Dusknoir is liable to return from the future at any time. As such, we should keep a low profile. So instead of meeting with you at Treasure Town, I may be found either at Sharpedo Bluff or the beach. If we should meet, we can exchange information. Good luck on your end. Together, we should stop the planet's paralysis.

-Grovyle"

Riolu looked up from the note to see Xara staring at the ocean.

"Xaira!" he called. She didn't respond. He approached her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey."

"What?" Xaira said.

"Are you alright?" Riolu asked.

"I'm fine," she said. Riolu looked at her skeptically before speaking.

"Let's hurry to the beach. We may see Grovyle there!" Xaira nodded and followed Riolu back to Treasure Town. As the duo got closer to the beach, she couldn't help but feel that they were being watched.


	20. Lapras

"I was hoping to see Grovyle here," Riolu said as he glanced around the empty beach.

"Well he isn't," Xaira said. "And it's getting late. I don't think he'll show up."

" Look, Xaira," Riolu said, staring at the ocean, "the sunset's beautiful like it always is."

"It is," Xaira agreed with a nod.

" You know," Riolu said, "it was my dream to solve the mystery of my Relic Fragment. But I would have never guessed that it was connected to something like the Hidden Land." Riolu looked around. "Getting back the Relic Fragment was Team Vatonage's first adventure. And now, we're using the same Relic Fragment so we can go to the Hidden Land."

"If you say something mushy about destiny, I'll be forced to hit you," Xaira chuckled.

"I wasn't going to say anything like that," Riolu replied.

"You were thinking it," Xaira stated. Riolu laughed before returning his attention to the sight of the setting sun reflecting off of the water. His tone turned serious.

"This beautiful sunset will be lost if the planet's paralysis isn't stopped," he said.

"I know," Xaira replied. "All the more reason to fight it with everything we have. Not only that, I must fulfill the mission I had before losing my memory." Riolu opened his mouth to reply, but said nothing as he noticed something in the water. He squinted and stepped forward.

"Xaira!" he said. "Do you see that? It looks like it's swimming across the sunset!" Xaira looked in the direction Riolu was pointing. Sure enough, something, although it was impossible to tell what, was swimming across the horizon.

"A Pokémon perhaps?" she said. Riolu shrugged.

"It's getting late," he said. "We should get back."

"Alright," Xaira said with a nod. "Let's go." With that, the two left. Three Pokémon stepped out from behind some rocks.

"That old-timer Torkoal wasn't lying to us, after all," Koffing said.

"I didn't know that junk we stole back then was going to be valuable!" Zubat grumbled. "If I had known I would've-"

"Shut it!" Skuntank snapped. "That doesn't matter now! The important thing is that we'll get that Relic Fragment one way or another. The Hidden Land will be explored by Team Skull!"

…

The next morning, Xaira immediately noticed that Wigglytuff was nowhere to be found.

"I'm sure that you are all quite aware that the Guildmaster has not yet returned from his errand," Chatot said to the concerned looking apprentices. "However, we will set off for Brine Cave as scheduled."

"Hey hey! Where'd the Guildmaster go anyway?" Corphish asked. Chatot looked down

"I wouldn't know," he replied.

"Some right hand Pokémon you are," Xaira grumbled.

"Is it going to be OK without the Guildmaster?" Loudred asked.

"There's no need to be concerned at all!" Chatot assured him. "The Guildmaster must have decided that we can manage on our own for the time being. Furthermore, in the place of the Guildmaster, you have me to lead you. The guild went silent. Chatot looked at the apprentices nervously. "Why isn't anyone saying anything? Do you all think that I'm not up to the task? Am I perhaps inadequate? Worthless to you?!" The apprentices looked at each other awkwardly.

"I wouldn't say that, by golly," Bidoof spoke up.

"When Guildmaster isn't here, it just feels less safe," Chimecho said.

"Hey, hey! The Guildmaster may be hard to figure out, but he really comes through when things get rough!" Corphish added.

"But the Guildmaster isn't here with us," Sunflora reminded them. "So we have to do what he wanted and take charge!" The apprentices began to murmur in agreement.

"Chatot," Chimecho said. "The Guildmaster is absent. And you are the only one among us who can lead. You said so yourself, so lead the way!" Chatot looked up, shocked.

"Yup, yup!" Bidoof agreed. "We're all counting on you!"

"That's right," Riolu said. "We need you to lead us!" Chatot's beak fell open, and for a moment, Xaira thought he was going to faint. After taking a deep breath, Chatot composed himself.

"Commencing now, we shall depart on a guild exploration of Brine Cave!" he announced. The apprentices cheered, and everyone followed Chatot to Brine Cave.

…..

The exterior of Brine Cave was not very impressive. The waves crashed against the smooth, brown rocks on the coast.

" Now listen, everyone," Chatot said. "This is the entrance to Brine Cave. You must all be very careful. I explored this place with the Guildmaster a long time ago. While it is true that the pattern can be found deep in the cave, it is there where an extreamly visious Pokemon lurks."

"Hey! Hey! The Guildmaster mentioned that yesterday!" Corphish said.

"So?" Loudred said, swallowing nervously. "What was this Pokémon like?" Chatot sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't remember," he admitted.

"You don't REMEMBER?!" Loudred exclaimed. Chatot nodded.

"Yes, but I'm loath to admit it," he said. "They attacked with no warning out of nowhere, and I was knocked out before I could do a thing. By the time I came to, they were gone. I have no memory of events before that."

"Wait a second," Riolu spoke up. "You said there was only one at first, but then you said 'they' attacked you."

"There was one extremely vicious Pokémon," Chatot explained. "But it wasn't alone. I can remember them attacking all at once, and getting slammed with water."

"So we're dealing with Water types," Xaira said. "That's something, I guess."

"Anyway," Chatot said. "It would be extremely dangerous for any of us to go alone, so we will split into groups to explore the cave. Team Vatonage will accompany me."

"Oh no," Xaira said.

"Everyone else, get into your groups!" Chatot ordered, He hopped over to where Riolu and Xaira stood. " I trust you won't hold me up too much?" he asked, looking between them.  
And do not expect me to do everything for you! It's up to you to look after yourselves."

"Understood," Riolu said.

"Let's just get this over with," Xaira said.

…

"I'll admit it," Xaira said after she watched Chatot fight of a couple of hostile Pokémon. "He really isn't all talk."

"I guess this shows why he's the Guildmaster's right hand Pokémon," Riolu said. Xaira nodded.

"You two!" Chatot barked. "Get a move on!" Xaira grit her teeth.

"He may be competent," she said, "but if he tells us to hurry one more time, I'll-"

"I said to get a move on!"

"Hey, Chatot!" Riolu called, running to catch up to the Pokémon. "We've gone pretty far. Are we nearing the place where you saw that pattern?" Chatot nodded.

"We're nearly there," he replied. "However, every step also takes us closer to those vicious Pokémon." Riolu shuddered.

"Well," he said. "We'll have to stay careful and keep our eyes open from here on out." Suddenly, something flew through the air, knocking Riolu to the ground, the Relic Fragment landing a few feet away from him.

"Long time, weaklings!" Koffing greeted as he stepped out from the shadows.

"Oh, you're that nice team?" Chatot asked.

"You're kidding, right?" Xaira responded.

"This is it?" Skuntank said, walking over to the Relic Fragment. "The Relic Fragment? I'll take this?" He snatched it up before Riolu could scramble to reclaim it.

"This is the second time you're getting mugged for this!" Koffing laughed.

"You don't learn well, that's for sure!" Zubat added.

"I'm afraid I'm not following what's going on here!" Chatot exclaimed, flapping his wings. "What are you doing here?! We haven't seen you since you disappeared during the expedition! We were all worried about you!"

"I wasn't," Xaira stated.

"Your guild's full of gullible nincompoops just waiting to be fleeced," Skuntank said.

"Your demeanor and language seem to be much coarser now!" Chatot said.

"Chatot! They were deceiving the guild all this time!" Riolu exclaimed.

"I thought it would be obvious by now," Xaira said.

"What?!" Chatot exclaimed. Team Skull began to laugh.

"You'd have to be naïve beyond belief to be fooled this long!" Zubat said.

"You have no idea," Xaira replied with a shake of her head.

"Anyway, now that we've got the Relic Fragment, we just have to go to the Hidden Land.," Skuntank said. With that, Koffing created a smoke screen. A horrible smell filled the room. "Eat your heart out, nitwits!" Skuntank called as he fled.

"Those stinking scoundrels!" Chatot exclaimed as the air cleared. "Play me for a fool will they!? They won't get away with this! I'll show them what it means to trifle with me!" He angrily flew deeper into the cave.

"Wait!" Riolu called. Xaira sighed.

"Let's go get him before anything else does," she said. The two travelled further through the cave. As they progressed, the air became hot and humid. The cave floor was no longer covered with dirt and sand, but it looked more similar to the outside. Pools of water lay on the sides of the cave.

"There's no sign of Chatot anywhere," Riolu said, glancing around. There was a low groan. The duo froze.

"You heard that, right?" Xaira asked Riolu nodded, and they ran in the direction of the noise. Chatot! Riolu gasped when he saw Team Skull laying on the ground.

"What happened to you guys?!" he exclaimed, kneeling down to check their wounds. "Were you attacked by a mysterious gang of Pokémon?"

"You knew it was coming?" Koffing asked weakly. "Would've been good to know that."

"Not that you'd tell us." Zubat managed to say with a chuckle.

"Do you think you're going to be okay?" Riolu asked.

"Let's give them some Oran Berries, take the Relic Fragment back, and go," Xaira said.

"But we don't know how badly they're hurt!" Riolu argued.

"Fine," Xaira said. "Throw in some Reviver Seeds."

"You find us at your mercy, and you're worried about our well-being?" Skuntank asked. "How sickenly generous can you nitwits be?!"

"We're not about to walk away from anyone if they're hurt!" Riolu said.

"Swallow your pride and allow us to help, or we'll leave you to die," Xaira said. "Believe me, it will be no skin off our backs."

"Your concern's wasted on us," Skuntank said. "We'll be fine. That pompous Chatot riled me up enough to keep me going!"

"He did what?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"That Chatot came along after we got wiped out!" Skuntank said. "He noticed us all down and out and scolded us, calling us all sorts of choice words." Xaira snickered. " After that blistering tongue-lashing, he went on his way. I'm so steaming mad that I refuse to give up here. I'm getting out of here if I have to crawl."

"You still look like you're in a lot of pain," Riolu said.

"We've been horrible to you two all this time," Skuntank said. "You went through downright rotten times because of us. But you can still bring yourselves to worry about the likes of us?"

"Yes," Riolu answered. "You did make us furious over this and that. But when we see you down and out like this, we can't just walk away." Suddenly, the Relic Fragment rolled to Riolu's feet. "Hey! The Relic Fragment!"

"How unlike me!" Skuntank said. "The Relic Fragment just slipped from my grip!"

"Skuntank," Riolu said, picking the Relic Fragment up, "thanks."

"It was an accident," Skuntank said quickly. "Next time we meet, we'll be back to our old tricks!"

"I'll be waiting," Xaira said. Skuntank let out a chuckle.

"Anyway," Skuntank said. "Chatot's the one you should be worried about!"

"Where did he go?" Riolu asked.

"He went further, chasing after those Pokémon," Skuntank replied. "You should hurry up and go too!"

"Thanks Skuntank," Riolu said, placing some berries and seeds in front of the fallen team. "Get your team out of here and head for safety!"

"I expect a battle next time we meet," Xaira said. Skuntank smiled.

"I'll wipe the floor with you, wimp," he said.

"Don't be so sure," Xaira replied. She ran to catch up with Riolu who was pretty far ahead. After a few minutes of running, the duo caught up with Chatot.

"Hey! Chatot!" Riolu greeted, out of breath. Chatot quickly turned around.

"Be alert!" he warned. "They're close by! I saw their retreating figures when I gave chase, but I lost sight of them around here. They must be lurking here somewhere."

"But there doesn't appear to be any place to hide here," Riolu said glancing around the empty room. Chatot seemed to be lost in thought. Slowly, he turned his attention to the ceiling. He gasped.

"Be careful!" he exclaimed "They're above us!"

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. Suddenly, three Pokémon fell from the ceiling. One was rather large and brown and had blades for hands. The other two were smaller and were blue Pokémon with a shell.

"I am Kabutops!" the brown Pokémon announced

"And the Omastar brothers!" the blue Pokémon said.

"All trespassers need to be taught a lesson!" Kabutops declared. Quickly, the three ran towards Xaira and Riolu, ready to attack. Suddenly, Chatot leapt in front of the duo, crying out in pain as he was struck.

"Chatot!" Riolu cried.

"Shielding your friends, hero?" Kabutops asked. "That's not what I'd call smart."

"Kabutops!" one of the Omastar said. "That big hero's been here before! We knocked him out the same way too!"

"That really takes a lot of smarts!" Kabutops laughed.

"Say what you will," Chatot said through heavy breaths. "They're our prized recruits! I won't let you harm them!"

"Chatot!" Riolu said. "Stay back! We'll handle this!" Xara leapt forward, tackling one of the Omastar before she was hit by what felt like a wall of water. Riolu rushed forward, using Force Palm on the attacking Omastar. Kabutops rushed forward, but Xaira countered by burrowing underground and leaping out to attack.

"You know Dig?" Riolu asked as he pushed an Omastar back

"I bought a TM," Xaira said as she used Shadow Ball on the other.

"How did I not notice?" Riolu asked. Xaira shrugged. Kabutops ran at them fast.

"Together now!" Xaira said. They jumped forward using Tackle and Force Palm to push the Pokémon back. Kabutops stumbled and fell to the ground. He slowly stood up.

"Retreat!" he ordered, and he and the Omastar fled the area. Riolu and Xaira rushed to Chatot's side.

"Chatot! Are you alright?!" Riolu asked. Chatot said nothing. "Stay with us!" Wigglytuff! And Grovyle too!"

"Chatot!" someone from behind them exclaimed. Riolu and Xaira turned around. Running towards them was Wigglytuff accompanied by Grovyle. Following them was the rest of the guild's apprentices.

"Are you alright?" Wigglytuff asked, checking Chatot's injuries. Chatot let out a weak laugh.

"I'm fine," he said. "I'm hale and hearty as you can see."

"I'm so sorry!" Wigglytuff said. "If I only got here earlier…"

"Please don't blame yourself, Guildmaster," Chatot said. "This is so humiliating. To be knocked out by the same group of Pokémon… again!" Wigglytuff shook his head.

"That's not true!" he said. "The last time we were here, you were knocked out right away, so you probably don't remember this. But when those Pokémon sprang out and attacked us, you shielded me from the attack."

"Excuse me?" Chatot asked.

"I sent them packing after that, but if it weren't or you, I'd be knocked out on the spot!" Wigglytuff continued. "I owe you my life. Chatot, you are my best friend." Chatot smiled weakly.

"I…I am privileged to hear such words, Guildmaster," he said. As soon as those words left his mouth, he collapsed, unconscious. The apprentices cried out in alarm.

"Everyone! Stay calm!" Grovyle ordered, pushing past the Pokémon to make his way to Chatot. Quickly, he began to check Chatot's injuries. "He still has time!" he announced. "Get him back to the guild! Now!"

"Let's go!" Riolu said with a nod.

"No," Wigglytuff said. " We will take Chatot back. You three keep going, or else Chatot's shielding you will have been for nothing. The strange pattern is up ahead. Hurry."

"Alright," Riolu said."

"Thanks Wigglytuff," Grovyle said. He turned to Riolu and Xaira. "Let's go." The three Pokémon went on their way.

"Grovyle, how did you know to join us here?" Riolu asked as they walked.

"Wigglytuff found me," Grovyle explained. "He told me you were close to finding the Hidden Land. Good timing, too. I planned to join you anyway."

"Does that mean-" Riolu began.

"Yes," Grovyle said. "I collected all the necessary Time Gears."

"Great!" Riolu cheered. "Let's find that place with the strange pattern now!"

Eventually, they arrived in a room with a giant hole in the wall allowing a view of the ocean.

"Look at that, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed excitedly. "You can see the sea from here!"

" The tide rises up to here from that gap in the walls," Grovyle observed. Xaira looked around the room, and something caught her eye. There on the wall opposite of the gap was a pattern that looked just like thee design on the Relic Fragment."

"That's it!" she exclaimed. Riolu and Grovyle turned to see what Xaira was looking at.

"This is the same pattern on my Relic Fragment," Riolu said, examining the pattern. The Relic Fragment began to glow. "What?!"

"Look at the wall!" Grovyle said. The pattern on the wall was glowing as well suddenly, a beam of light shot from the center of it to the ocean. The trio of Pokémon watched as something rose from the ocean and swam closer to them. As the figure got closer, it could be seen that it was a large blue Pokémon.

"Riolu, Xaira, and Grovyle, correct?" the Pokémon asked when she reached the entrance of the cave.

"You know our names," Grovyle said. The Pokémon nodded.

"Yes," she said. "I was informed of your arrival by Wigglytuff. I'm Lapras, the guide to the Hidden Land. Step on my back and I will carry you across the sea."

"Are you sure?" Riolu asked . "There are three of us."

"I will be fine, chosen one," Lapras said. "Now make haste. You are needed at Temporal Tower."

"Let's go," Grovyle said. "We have no time to waste."


	21. To the Hidden Land

_**I don't know about this. I'm pretty sure I did really bad with the more emotional part of this. I'm not sure that I captured the same feeling from the game properly. Oh well, that's why I'm writing this in the first place: to get practice writing this kind of thing. Once again please notify me of any mistakes!**_

* * *

Bidoof sat outside the guild, staring at the night sky.

"Bidoof?" The small brown Pokémon turned to see Chimecho approaching him.

"Oh, hello Chimecho," he said.

"The Guildmaster sent me to get you. It's time for dinner," Chimecho said. "You're usually the first one at the table. Is something wrong?" Bidoof shook his head.

"I suppose I'm just worried about Xara and Riolu, yup yup." Chimecho gave him an understanding nod. "You know, it's kind of funny."

"What is?"

"I was supposed to be their mentor, and I ended looking up to them," Chimecho smiled.

"They've come a long way, haven't they?" Chimecho asked. "I remember when they first joined the guild."

"There you two are! I was getting worried!"

"Guildmaster!" Chimecho said with a wide smile. "We were just about to go in!" Wigglytuff nodded.

"Then let's go!" Wigglytuff said. "Everyone is waiting for you! Oh, and Bidoof."

"Yes?"

"I wouldn't worry too much about Riolu and Xaira. I'm sure they'll be just fine, they have Grovyle with them after all."

"Are you sure?" Bidoof asked Wigglytuff nodded.

"And when they all get back safely, we'll have a special dinner to celebrate. We'll invite the entire town!"

"Great idea!" Chimecho cheered!

"I like the sound of that, yup yup!" The three Pokémon walked in the guild to join the others.

…

"Oh I see. That's how you met Wigglytuff, Lapras?" Riolu sked as Lapras finished her story. They had been crossing the sea for a while, so to pass the time, Riolu had asked Lapras to tell them about the time she met Wigglytuff.

"Yes," Lapras replied. "I didn't intend to reveal myself at all. But I changed my mind the moment I saw Chatot lying on the ground. I simply had to help. Afterwards, I made Wigglytuff promise something."

"A promise?" Riolu asked. "What promise?"

"I asked Wigglytuff to not investigate the pattern on the wall any further," Lapras answered. Wigglytuff promised to honor my request. He said he owed me thanks for coming to Chatot's aid and that he would stop all investigations on the matter."

"Why didn't you want anyone to investigate the pattern?" Riolu asked.

"In the Hidden Land is Temporal Tower where Dialga reigns," Lapras answered. "Dialga feared intruders could wreak havoc at the tower, so he hid the Hidden Land in a gap in time."

"A gap in time?" Riolu repeated.

"Yes," Lapras nodded. "It's hard to explain, but, it is a gap in time itself. It is the space between the parts of a split second."

"I see," Grovyle said. "No wonder the place couldn't be found. No one could hope to go to such a place."

"Except for you," Xaira said, looking up from the water. "Somehow."

"Dialga left one key to go to the Hidden Land," Lapras continued. "a special fragment with a mysterious pattern etched into it."

"The Relic Fragment," Xaira said.

"Correct," Lapras answered. "It is very special. It selects whoever is worthy of possessing it. The chosen one is then responsible for saving the Hidden Land and Temporal Tower should anything go wrong."

"So Riolu's this 'chosen hero', then?" Xaira asked.

"That's one way to put it," Lapras said with a chuckle. "However you are not without your own duties."

"What duties?" Xaira asked. "I'm no chosen one."

"No," Lapras said. "But you do possess the Dimensional Scream."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"The power of the Time Gears and Temporal Tower courses through your veins," Lapras explained. "Dialga was the one to gift your ancestors with this power, so you owe it to him to do your best to assist the chosen one in protecting the Hidden Land."

"My ancestors huh?" Xaira said.

"Yes," Lapras replied. "They were a part of a tribe who helped Dialga build Temporal Tower and spread the Time Gears across the world in order to prevent a crisis long ago. In return for their service, Dialga gifted humans and Pokémon alike with the Dimensional Scream. Their descendants have served Dialga ever since."

"Humans?" Xaira asked.

"Yes," Lapras said, "but do not expect to see one anytime soon. Humans have grown elusive. So much so that they have been written off as fairy tales in certain parts. However, they exist, and there is evidence of that everywhere. For example, there is a temple built by humans in the Hidden Land."

"Wait," Riolu said. "If I was chosen by the Relic Fragment, does that mean that I'm a descendant of one of those Pokémon you spoke of."

"I cannot say," Lapras replied. "However, it's a possibility. You three should get some rest. We will be close to the Hidden Land by dawn."

The next morning, there was still no land in sight. The ocean looked very peaceful in the morning light, but Xaira couldn't shake the feeling that something was horribly wrong.

"Hey Lapras," Riolu said. "You've been swimming a long time. Are you doing OK?"

"I'm fine, Riolu," Lapras answered, focusing on the ocean in front of her. "No need for concern. We're almost there. See? It's coming into view!"

"What?" Riolu asked.

"On the far horizon," Lapras said. "Do you see where the sea looks a little different?" Xaira squinted. The water in front of her looked normal, save for one spot where the waves seemed to almost glow in the morning sun."

"I see it!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Lapras! What is that?" Grovyle asked.

"The edge of the gap in time," Lapras answered, speeding up. "That is the portal through which we will go to the Hidden Land. Get ready!" Lapras sped into the odd looking water. And the light surrounded the Pokémon. Slowly, Lapras rose from the water.

"Lapras is flying!" Riolu exclaimed.

"This isn't flying!" Grovyle exclaimed. "We're crossing the sea of time!" There was a crackle and a sudden flash of blue green light. When the light cleared, a floating island came into view. "Lapras! Is that it?"

"Yes!" Lapras answered. "That's the Hidden Land! We're going in!" Lapras flew down to the island's edge

"We finally made it," Riolu said, stepping off Lapras.

"Please, look ahead," Lapras said. In the distance, floating in the air and surrounded by dark read clouds was a tall structure.

"What's that?!" Riolu asked.

"Temporal Tower," Grovyle answered. "That's where we have to go."

"It's floating in the sky!" Riolu exclaimed. "How are we supposed to get there?"

"You must take the Rainbow Stoneship," Lapras answered.

"Rainbow Stoneship?" Xaira asked. "Really? How are we supposed to take something seriously with such a ridiculous-" Riolu elbowed her side, cutting her off.

"Far ahead, you will find the Old Ruins which leads to a temple," Lapras continued. "There you will find the Rainbow Stoneship, an ancient, mystical vessel. It will take you to Temporal Tower"

"Couldn't you have dropped us off there," Xaira asked.

"No," Lapras replied, "This is the extent of what I can do for you. From here, you're on your own."

"Thank you," Riolu said. "Let's go."

"Wait," Lapras spoke up. "There is something you need to know."

"What is it?" Xaira asked.

"You probably know by now that you are deeply connected to both the Time Gears and Temporal Tower," Lapras said. "I feel that I should warn you that if Temporal Tower collapses while you are on the Hidden Land-"

"It wouldn't be good," Xaira interrupted. "Thanks for the information." With that, the trio of Pokémon began to head to the forest. It was a long trek, and the air had a very foreboding feeling to it. The Pokémon in the area were much more vivacious than anything the team had faced outside of the future world.

"It's a sign that Temporal Tower will collapse very soon," Grovyle explained. "We must hurry."

Eventually, the team reached a tunnel. When they entered , they were shocked to see the walls lined with portraits of Legendary Pokémon. Some were even outlined in gold and were decorated with various gems such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. They stopped at a painting of Dialga and some other Pokémon that looked strangely familiar to Xaira. Diamonds and pearls decorated the border, however, it was obvious that several precious stones had fallen out over time.

"This place is amazing!" Riolu exclaimed, looking around.

"This is the Old Ruins," Grovyle said, examining a painting. "The Rainbow Stoneship should be here somewhere."

"Maybe it's out there," Xaira said nodding to the tunnel's exit. When they stepped outside, they were greeted by the sight of stairs.

"What is this place?" Riolu asked as they reached the top of the stairs.

"It's probably that ancient temple Lapras mentioned," Grovyle said. He looked at the stone ground beneath him. "The strange pattern is here too."

"I wonder what this small indentation is for?" Riolu said, pointing io a small hole at the center of the pattern. Xaira glanced around the area, and she noticed a stone tabled. She approached it and examined it.

"There's something inscribed on this stone tablet here," she said. "The writing looks familiar." Grovyle stepped closer to the tablet.

"Unown letters," he said. "It's written in an ancient language."

"Can you read it?" Riolu asked. "I never studied this." Grovyle nodded.

"Yes," he said. "I've studied this language extensively. Just give me a few moments." After studying the tablet for a few minutes, Grovyle spoke up. "According to this, this place itself is the Rainbow Stoneship." He walked to the small hole in the ground. "And this is where you place your Relic Fragment. It will activate the Rainbow Stoneship."

"That's great!" Riolu said. He approached the hollow in the ground, but suddenly, a blast of dark energy flew from nowhere, knocking the group off of their feet.

"That's quite enough of that," a familiar voice declared. Several Sableye rushed up the stairs and surrounded them.

"The Sableye!" Riolu cried. The trio watched in horror as Dusknoir floated up the set of stairs from the other side of the ruins and approached them.

"How did you get here?" Grovyle demanded.

"Quite simple, actually," Dusknoir replied. "I had Master Dialga warp us here directly. I knew you'd eventually reach this place. Unfortunately, you are coming back to the future with me." With that, the trio of Pokémon were pushed down the stairs Dusknoir had come from. The dimensional hole sat nearby.

"Sableye! Push them into the dimensional hole!" Dusknoir ordered.

"Riolu! Xaira," Grovyle whispered.

"Yes!" Riolu nodded.

"I'm with you!" Xaira said. The three Pokémon launched an attack on the Sableye, pushing them back.

"So you still show resistance?" Dusknoir asked, barely concealing a chuckle.

"You expected anything less?" Grovyle asked.

"You leave me no choice," Dusknoir replied. "I'll simply defeat you here, then take you to the future with me. It makes no difference how this is done. The odds are overwhelmingly stacked against you. Prepare to-"

He was cut off by a Shadow Ball to the face.

"You talk too much," Xaira sad.

"Sableye! Attack!" Dusknoir roared.

"You had to make him angry, didn't you?" Riolu asked as he hurled some Iron Thorns at the Sableye.

"It was either that or listen to him monologue for half an hour," Xaira replied as she dodged a Sableye's sharp claws.

"You really haven't changed," Grovyle chuckled as he knocked two Sableye out at the same time. He turned his attention to Dusknoir and attacked him with Dig. Dusknoir stumbled back. Quicky rushing forward, Xaira launced another Shadow Ball at him, causing Dusknoir to fall to the ground. Slowly, Dusknoir floated up.

"I…I refuse to lose!" he exclaimed. "So foolhardy. You dared to challenge me? You had no chance of winning form the start."

"How is he still standing?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"Don't give up!" Grovyle said." There's a way out of this!"

"Easy for you to say," Riolu grumbled.

"You've done admirably for those as pitiful as you," Dusknoir said, "but it's all over now!" The mouth on his stomach opened up, and a dark energy formed.

"The mouth on his stomach has opened up!" Riolu exclaimed. "What do we do?"

"Wait!" Xaira cried "That's it!"

"What is it, Xaira?" Grovyle asked.

"We need to combine our moves and aim at that mouth on his stomach!"

"What?" Grovyle asked. " Are you sure that could work?! If we make our move too soon or too early-"

"There's no time!" Riolu interrupted. "Let's try it!"

Xaira charged Shadow Ball while Grovyle charged Energy Ball.

"Now!" Xaira cried just when it looked like Dusknoir was going to unleash his attack. Xaira and Grovyle unleashed their own. Just as they did, Riolu rushed, forward, his hands cloaked in a blue light, and added an attack of his own. This was enough to send the dark energy back at Dusknoir, causing him to fall to the ground. The Sableye stared in shock and almost immediately fled through the dimensional hole.

"We did it!" Riolu cheered.

"Your Sableye ran off," Grovyle said, crossing his arms. "You have no luck attracting reliable allies. " He turned to Riolu. "Riolu, go to the top of the temple, and put the Relic Fragment in its place. Xaira and I will guard Dusknoir."

"Alright," Riolu said with a nod before rushing up the stairs.

"If the Rainbow Stoneship works, we can go to Temporal Tower," Grovyle said. "The horrible future will finally be averted."

"Good," Xaira said. "As fun as being repeatedly traumatized is, I'm ready for all of this to be over." Dusknoir began to stir.

"Stay down," Grovyle warned.

"Is this really what you want?" Dusknoir asked. "You know that if history is changed, you will cease to exist."

"What?!" Xaira exclaimed. Grovyle suddenly became fascinated with the ground.

"That's right," Dusknoir chuckled. "You wouldn't remember that. I must say I'm surprised at you, Grovyle. I would have thought that you would have told your best friend about this."

"Dusknoir," Grovyle said, his tone of voice dangerous. "Stop. Talking."

"It wouldn't just be you two, everyone in the future will fade away. Is that really what you want? To trade all of their lives for a little sunlight? This makes your past wrongs look like nothing."

"Liar!" Xaira exclaimed. Grovyle shook his head.

"It's true, Xaira," he said. "If we change history, we will be erased from existence."

"What?" Xaira barely managed to say.

"However, if it means restoring time and bringing peace to the world, it will be worth the sacrifice. Celebi believed this too. It's why she helped us travel back in time. We came from the future fully excepting what would happen to us. But now, you don't remember that. I know that this is coming as a shock to you but-"

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Xaira exclaimed. Grovyle looked down.

"I tried," he said. "Believe me, I tried to tell you. But eventually, I found that I didn't know how. I really am sorry that I didn't tell you from the start." He looked up at her. "However, that doesn't matter now. If we don't go through with this, time will be destroyed. The planet will be paralyzed, and all our efforts would have been for nothing." Xaira sighed.

"I understand," she whispered. "I can't run from this. I wish there was another way, but…" She looked back at Grovyle, determination burning in her eyes. "Even if it means my end, the planet must be saved."

"There is one problem," Grovyle said. "In our own time, we had nothing to lose except for each other, We had absolutely nothing to go back to. But this changed for you upon coming to this world and transforming into a Pokémon."

"Riolu," Xaira sighed, looking at the stairs that Riolu had just climbed. Grovyle nodded.

"Yes," he said. "He looks up to you. Once he find out about your fate-"

"He'll be crushed," Xaira looked down. Grovyle placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Oh, Xaira," he said. "I wish I could change things for you." Xaira shook her head.

"But you can't," Xaira said. "It's the way things are. I just wish that you would have told me about this sooner."

"I'm sorry," Grovyle said.

"I forgive you," Xaira replied. Suddenly, there was a glow from on top of the stairs.

"It looks like Riolu activated the Rainbow Stoneship," Grovyle said.

"I guess it's time to go," Xaira said. Grovyle sighed.

"Listen, Xaira, I-" He was cut off by a blast of energy hitting him and Xaira, sending them both sliding back.

"You," Dusknoir said as he slowly rose from the ground, "will not change history!" He fired a ball of dark energy at Xaira, but Grovyle jumped in front of her, taking the blow. He fell to the ground.

"Grovyle!" Xaira exclaimed.

"So you shielded, Xaira, Grovyle?!" Dusknoir asked. "Very well. It doesn't matter to me! You're going down first!"

"No!" Grovyle cried, standing and rushing at Dusknoir. Grovyle grabbed him and began to push Dusknoir back.

"What are you doing?!" Dusknoir asked, struggling to break free.

"I'm taking you with me!" Grovyle declared.

"What?!" Xaira exclaimed.

"It's all up to you now, Xaira!" Grovyle said, throwing the bag of Time Gears to the ground.

"OK, team!" Riolu said, descending the stairs. "The Rainbow Stoneship's set to go!" He then noticed all that was happening. "What's going on?!"

"Riolu, this is it for me!" Grovyle said. "I'm taking Dusknoir back to the future! I can never come back here again! Take care of Xaira! Promise me!" Riolu's eyes widened and he shook his head.

"Take your place, Grovyle?" he asked, "I can't!"

"You must and you will!" Grovyle replied. "You two are the greatest of combinations! And Xaira! I was lucky to have known you. You really are my best and most trusted friend. Though the parting hurts, you must see our mission through to the end!"

"Grovyle! Don't leave!" Xaira cried, tears blurring her vision. "I-we still need you!" Grovyle smiled sadly, and a single tear fell down his cheek.

"Goodbye, Xaira," he said. "Please, for me, for everyone, protect the sunrise!" With that, he pushed Dusknoir through the portal which collapsed.

"No! Grovyle!" Xaira cried rushing to where the dimensional hole once stood.

"Why?" Riolu said, tears forming in his eyes. Xaira shook her head.

"Let's go," she managed to say. "The Rainbow Stoneship's about to leave."

"Xaira-"

"I said let's get moving!" Xaira snapped, causing Riolu to jump back. "We can't waste time being sad. That's not what Grovyle would have wanted!"

"Xaira, it's okay," Riolu said calmly as he picked up the Time Gears and placed them back in the bag. "We'll change the future, and Grovyle will be able to live happily." Xaira looked down, not having the heart to tell Riolu the truth. The two began to make their way up the stairs. "Hey. What Grovyle said to you back there, about how parting hurts…I understand that feeling. I understand how it hurts. The two of you were friends for a long time. It must have hurt Grovyle terribly to leave you."

Xaira only nodded. She realized that it wasn't her and Grovyle that Grovyle was referring to. She sighed, she couldn't tell Riolu about what would happen for the sake of the mission. She reasoned that if Riolu knew, he wouldn't fight as hard. For a brief moment, she thought about how she felt after she found out Grovyle had been keeping this from her, but she quickly pushed the thought away. Riolu couldn't find out until she was sure it was time. The only question was how to break the news to him. They reached the top of the temple and stood on the center of the pattern. The stone circle rose from the ground, surprising the duo, and began to fly through the air, leaving a trail of multicolored light behind it. Xaira watched as the temple got farther and farther away.

"I see why it's called the Rainbow Stoneship," Riolu said, forcing a smile. Xaira didn't respond. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey. I promise that everything will be okay."

"You can't promise that," Xaira said. Riolu punched her shoulder. "What was that for?!"

"You once told me to do that you if you ever got like that," Riolu replied with a shrug.

"I didn't mean to punch me that hard," Xaira said, barely concealing a smile as she shoved him to the side.

"Careful now!" Riolu cried, "We're pretty high up!"

"You should have thought of that before," Xaira replied. Her smile faded. Her time with Riolu was coming to an end very quickly.

"Hey," Riolu said. "Everything will be just fine. It will all be over soon." Xaira nodded.

"It will," she said.


	22. The Final Adventure

_**This is probably be it for the precredits part of the story. I have a lot of planning to do for the post game. Also, I really hope I didn't mess up the ending. I hope you ejoy reading this!**_

* * *

"This is the entrance to Temporal Tower," Riolu said as he and Xaira stood in front of the large structure.

"We better get climbing," Xaira stated as she stared up at the tower. "It's a long way up." Suddenly, the ground began to shake. As quickly as it started, it stopped.

"What was that tremor, anyway?" Riolu asked, regaining his balance.

"Remember what Grovyle told us?" Xaira asked. "Temporal Tower is beginning to collapse!"

"We have to hurry, Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed. The climb up Temporal Tower was difficult. Hostile Pokémon were everywhere, and they had a tendency to ambush.

"Are you kidding me?!" Xaira exclaimed once the duo reached a safe spot. "There were about twenty Pokémon in that one room!" Riolu stared ahead at another set of stairs.

"We climbed a long ways up," he said, catching his breath from all the climbing. "How much farther is it to the top?"

'Hopefully not far," Xaira said. "This is getting frustrating."

"How are you not completely exhausted?" Riolu asked. Xaira shrugged. The tower began to shake.

"It's getting worse," Xaira said as the tremors stopped. "Let's hurry!" After climbing a short while, the duo eventually found themselves outside. The area was flat and empty save for a few crumbling pillars and a glowing pedestal on the opposite side of the area.

"Look at those clouds!" Riolu shouted over the roaring wind. Xaira looked up. The clouds above them were the color of blood, and they swirled around. Lightning cracked within them.

"That can't be natural," Xaira said.

"Look over there!" Riolu cried, rushing toward the pedestal. Xaira followed after him. "What could this be? It has a mystical feel." Xaira nodded.

"I can feel it to," she said as she touched the pedestal, examining it closer. "There's a big circular pattern, and five indentations have been gouged out. Wait! That's it!"

"What's it?" Riolu asked.

"We need to put the Time Gears in them!" Xaira said. Riolu nodded.

"I get it!" he said. "I'll do that now!" However, when he stepped closer, a powerful force flung the, back everything went dark. "What?! I can't see a thing!"

"What's going on?" There was a low growl.

"So it's you!" a voice boomed. It sounded as if it was coming from everywhere at once. "You seek the destruction of Temporal Tower!"

"No! That's not it!" Riolu shouted. "We're here to prevent time from stopping!"

"Time…stopping…" The voice almost sounded at war with itself. There was a loud, chilling roar and a bright flash of light. As the light faded a large dark blue Pokémon with piercing red eyes stepped forward.

"Dialga!" Riolu exclaimed.

"You dare bring ruin to the tower?!" Dialga boomed, stepping forward.

"No!" Riolu cried. "We told you the truth before! We want to prevent Temporal Tower from collapsing!"

"Silence!" Dialga ordered. "For those who threaten Temporal Tower…I will show no mercy!"

"But-"

"Riolu!" Xaira shouted. "Dialga is losing control because time is breaking down!"

"So it's hopeless to reason with him?!" Riolu asked, his eyes widened with panic. Xaira shook her head.

"Maybe not!" she said. "This isn't like the Dialga from the future. He hasn't yet been consumed by the power of darkness! Look at him!" Sure enough, where the glowing orange spots were, there was the occasional flicker of blue. Patches of his navy metal skin were a brighter blue. Dialga roared once more and unleashed a blast of energy at the young Pokémon, which they dodged.

"I don't think he can be reasoned with!" Riolu said.

"Then we'll have to make him listen to reason!" Xaira declared, firing a Shadow Ball at the angry Legendary. Dialga screeched angrily and rushed forward, striking Xaira and causing her to go flying into a pillar. Riolu rushed forward, striking Dialga with Force Palm. Dialga kicked him aside.

"He's too strong!" Riolu cried.

"We can't stop now!" Xaira said, standing up. "If we quit, everything that we have done, everything our guild coworkers have done, and Grovyle's sacrifice will have been for nothing!" Quickly, she attacked with Dig, but Dialga avoided the attack. Riolu used Quick Attack, striking Dialga, but doing barely any damage. Taking notice of a crumbling pillar, Xaira quickly attacked it with Shadow Ball causing it to break and hit Dialga on the head, knocking him down.

"Do you have any other ideas?" Riolu asked as Dialga recovered..

"Blast Seeds?" Xaira replied.

"We used out last one on the last floor!" Riolu replied, shaking his head.

"Stun seeds, then?"

Riolu shook his head, digging through the Treasure Bag "All we have left is two Reviver Seeds, three Oran Berries, a Geo Pebble, and several gemstones that I do not remember picking up. Did you steal these from the ruins?"

"No time for that now!" Xaira replied as she pushed Riolu out of the way of another attack.

"Thanks," Riolu said.

New plan," Xaira said. "I distract Dialga, and you put the Time Gears in their places!"

"What?!"

"Just do it! Attack him on the way if you have to, just get to that pedestal!" Riolu rushed forward, but was blocked by Dialga. Quickly, He attacked with Force Palm, hoping to get Dialga to stumble, however while it did appear to have some effect, Dialga just roared angrily, and prepared to attack. He was stopped by a Shadow Ball directly to the face.

"Hey you!" Xaira shouted. "Over here!" Dialga turned his attention to Xaira and Riolu ran past him and towards the pedestal. The tower trembled. Quickly recovering from shock Riolu pulled out the first Time Gear, ready to put it in its place. At the same time, Dialga knocked Xaira to the ground, getting ready to deliver the final blow. Not noticing this, Riolu quickly put the Time Gear in its place. There was another tremor, causing Dialga to stop in his tracks. The Time Gear began to glow, and Xaira felt a surge of energy run through her, and she stood up. Dialga rushed to attack, but Xaira dodged, slightly faster than before. She attacked with Dig, briefly stunning the Legendary. Riolu placed two more Time Gears in the pedestal. Dialga roared and rushed at Xaira, striking her and causing her to slide backwards as Riolu put the fourth Time Gear in its place. Dialga began to charge a powerful attack. Xaira stood.

"Grovyle," she said as she readied a Shadow Ball. "This is for you." She fired the Shadow Ball at Dialga. "For the future!" The Shadow Ball flew through the air, striking Dialga just as he was about to unleash his attack. Dialga fell to his knees. There was another tremor; however, this one was much more powerful than the ones before it.

"Riolu!" Xaira cried. "Hurry! It's almost ready collapse!" Barely able to stand, Riolu struggled as he placed the final Time Gearin the pedestal. However, the tremors did not stop, in fact, they grew even stronger. There was a wave of energy, and Riolu tumbled back. Xaira rushed to his side.

"Why?!" Riolu cried. "I put the Time Gears where they're supposed to go! We can't be too late, can we?!" Dialga slowly stood, and began to walk toward the duo. Suddenly, bolts of lightning began to rain down on the tower, one of them striking Dialga. Xaira shut her eyes tightly. There was the sound of an angry roar, and then, all was silent. Everything was still. There wasn't even the slightest breeze. Xaira slowly opened her eyes. The sun was still shining. Riolu stood up.

"Wh-"

"Welcome to Temporal Tower." Dialga stepped forward, looking different. His colors had returned back to normal, and his red eyes no longer had a menacing look to them."

"Dialga!" Riolu gasped, getting ready for a fight.

"You have no cause for alarm," Dialga said. "I have regained my reason. Temporal Tower has taken heavy damage, but it still stands. Observe." There was a bright light then a view of a forest. The leaves blew in the wind.

"This is Treeshroud Forest!" Riolu exclaimed. "Time has been restored! But how-"

"Dialga must be showing us this by using telepathy!" Xaira said. The view of Treeshroud Forest changed to Treasure Town. The town Pokémon scampered about chattering amongst themselves.

"Look Xaira! Everyone's celebrating!" The view changed once more. It now showed the Hidden Land, which looked severely damaged, and Temporal Tower, which looked in bad shape. However, it still stood." The images disappeared.

"It looks like we stopped the collapse just in time," Xaira said, letting out a relieved sigh. Dialga nodded.

"Temporal Tower survived the crisis," he said. "The world's peace has been restored." Riolu laughed.

"We did it, Xaira!" he cried. "We actually did it!"

"That we did," Xaira said.

"You had the courage to stand up to me, even as I raged out of control and prevented Temporal Tower's ruin," Dialga continued with a smile. "Thank you. However, not all is as it should be. It will take time for everything to return to normal. I must see to the repair of Temporal Tower. Lapras should be waiting your return."

"Alright!" Riolu said. "Xaira! Let's go home."

"Yeah, sure," she said, remembering what was to come.

"One moment, chosen one," Dialga said. Riolu stopped in his tracks. "I need to speak with your friend. You go ahead." Riolu looked confused before nodding.

"Alright," he said. "I'll wait on the floor below." Riolu scampered down the stairs.

"Is this about those gemstones I took?" Xaira asked. Dialga shook his head, looking mildly amused.

"You possess the Dimensional Scream," he stated.

"I do," Xaira replied.

"If not for that ability, you would have surely died in battle against me," Dialga stated.

"Is this what you wanted to talk about?" Xaira snapped.

"No," Dialga replied. "I wanted to discuss something more serious. You are not of this time period."

"You know," Xaira said.

"I rule over time itself," Dialga said. "I sense these thinks. You know what is to happen to you, correct?"

"I know," Xaira replied. "I've accepted it."

"Has your friend?" Xaira didn't answer. "I see. I will not keep you here any longer. Your time is short, and you must say your goodbyes."

"I best get going then," Xaira said, walking away.

"Once again," Dialga said. "Thank you. I am truly sorry for what has to happen." Xaira didn't reply as she descended the stairs. Dialga watched as she left, deep in thought.

"What was that all about?" Riolu asked. Xaira shrugged.

"Let's go," she said. Riolu nodded. As the two made their way to the Rainbow Stoneship, Xaira found that it was getting harder to walk. Her feet felt heavy. Riolu looked over his shoulder.

"What's the matter, Xaira?" he asked. "We need to hurry. I can't wait to see the other apprentices again!" Xaira saw a bright light floating up in front of her. She looked down at her paw. Small, golden lights floated out from it. She sighed.

"It's time," she whispered to herself. She looked up to see Riolu running towards her.

"Hey? Xaira what's taking you so-" Riolu gasped. "Xaira! You're glowing!"

"Riolu, I'm sorry," Xaira said as calmly as she could. "I can't go back with you."

"What do you mean?!" Riolu asked.

"Dusknoir told me," Xaira explained. "If we changed the future, the Pokémon from the future will cease to exist. My time is up." Riolu shook his head, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"What?! No!"

"It was fun, Riolu. I-"

"No!" Riolu cried. "We can fix this! I'm going to go back to Dialga right now and demand that he-"

"There's nothing to be done," Xaira said, fighting back her own tears. "By the time you get there, I'll be gone."

"But," Riolu sniffed, "I only made it this far because you were with me! Without you, I'd-"

"You have to be strong on your own now," Xaira said. "Promise me that you will go home and tell everyone of what happened here so that history never repeats itself."

"But-"

"Promise me!" Xaira demanded. Riolu nodded.

"I…I promise," he said. Xaira smiled sadly. The lights surrounding her became more numerous and brighter.

"Thank you for everything," she said. "I was lucky to have you as a friend."

"Xaira…" Riolu said. "You are more important than anything to me. I-"

"I feel the same way," Xaira said. "Though the parting hurts, you must go on without me. Give everyone back at the guild my regards." Riolu ran to hug her, but the moment he touched her, she completely dissolved into light.

"Xaira!" Riolu cried, the tears, spilling out. "Xaira, no! Xaira!" Riolu fell to his knees and looked at the spot where his best friend once stood. All that was left was a blue-green ribbon.


	23. Aftermath

_**I thought that I might as well get this out of the way. Anyway, I hope I did this right. Notify me of any mistakes I might have made. Also, I'll be working on the post game now. I'm just not sure of whether I should make a separate story for it yet.**_

* * *

Riolu trudged back to the Rainbow Stoneship and rode it back to the Old Ruins. He approached Lapras, who looked at him sympathetically.

"You don't need to say a word," she said. The journey back was silent. They arrived at the beach, and Riolu stepped on the sand.

"I am very sorry," Lapras said, her head hanging down. Riolu slowly made his way to the guild. He climbed up the steps and stopped in front of the entrance. Taking a deep breath, he stood on the grate. After a few moments, the apprentices came rushing out, chattering happily.

"Wait," Bidoof said. "Where's Xaira? And Grovyle?" Riolu shook his head. The apprentices fell silent.

"What happened?" Wigglytuff asked as he stepped outside. Riolu stared at the ground, thinking of what to say. "We'll talk inside." Once inside the guild, everyone gathered on the lowest floor. Riolu proceeded to explain all that had happened.

"So that's it then," Sunflora said. "They're gone." It was silent for a bit.

"Why don't you get some rest?" Wigglytuff suggested. "It's been a long day." Riolu headed to his room and laid the ribbon that Xaira had worn, which had turned noticeably bluer since he held it, on her bed. He lay down and broke into sobs. Eventually, he fell asleep.

The next few days were difficult for Riolu, but he went through his guild work the best he could. He told the story of what happened in the Hidden Land whenever he was asked, just as Xaira requested.

Months passed. Things were slowly going back to normal for the world since time had been restored. One evening, Riolu decided to visit the beach after a long day of guild work. Upon arriving at the beach, Riolu noticed that the Krabby were blowing bubbles. He took in the sight.

"When was the last time I saw this?" he wondered aloud. The thought for a moment, and his heart sunk. "Oh." He walked along the beach until he found the spot where he had first met Xaira. "This is where it all started." He thought back to the time he spent with Xaira from the moment they met to the final adventure together. "I remember it so fondly." He began to tremble and tears formed in his eyes. "But now, Xaira is gone."

"Riolu!" Riolu didn't look behind him as Bidoof approached. "You were gone for a while! I was getting worried! Is something the matter?" Riolu turned to face him. Quickly, he hugged his friend.

"She's gone, Bidoof!" Riolu sobbed.

"What?" Bidoof asked.

"She's gone! And I'm never going to see her again!"

…

Dialga stood on top of Temporal Tower, watching the scene through his telepathy. He cut the vision off and walked to the pedestal where the five Time Gears had been. By now, they should be back at their respective resting places, waiting to be returned to Temporal Tower should anything happen again. Dialga sighed.

"I can feel your sorrow even from here," Dialga said. "The world needs you both. And should Xaira wish it, I will grant your wish. Please accept my thanks. With that, Dialga let out a mighty roar.

…

Xaira felt like she was floating. All she could see is darkness. She had no idea how long she had been there, but it felt like an eternity. Suddenly there was a bright light. When the light faded, Xaira found herself standing atop a tower high above the clouds.

"Welcome to Destiny Tower," A voice boomed. Xaira turned in the direction of the voice. A large, white Pokémon stepped forward. "I am Arceus."

"Arceus?" Xaira repeated. "The one from the legends?"

"The very same," Arceus replied.

"How am I here?" Xaira asked. "I'm not even supposed to exist!"

"You are here in spirit," Arceus replied. "Dialga is preparing to return you to your physical form as we speak."

"Dialga can do that?" Xaira asked.

"With my help, yes," Arceus replied. "However, whether or not you return depends entirely on you."

"What do I have to do?" Xaira asked.

"Make a decision," Arceus answered. "You can return to the world and reunite with your friend. Or you could simply enter the afterlife and become a guardian of the world. Either way, you will be rewarded for your efforts in stopping time's collapse."

"I want to return to Riolu," Xaira stated. Arceus smiled.

"I thought you might say that," he said. "Very well, I will return you. However, should you perish-"

"I think I get it," Xaira said. "I stay dead."

"Correct," Arceus said. A loud roar split the air. "It seems that Dialga is ready. Good luck Xaira, and thank you." The world became blurry once more before fading into black.

…..

Bidoof gave Riolu a sympathetic look as he sobbed. He looked up over Riolu's shoulder and noticed a small golden light.

"Riolu," Bidoof said. "Look." Riolu turned around and watched as the light grew bigger and brighter. Eventually, the light faded, and Xaira stood in its place.

"Xaira!" Riolu exclaimed, rushing to his friend. Once he reached her, he pulled her into a tight hug. "You're alive!" Happy tears streamed down his cheeks. "I can't believe it! How?!"

"If you will let me go," I'll explain everything," Xaira replied. Riolu stepped back.

"Explain on the way to the guild!" he said. "I can't wait until we get back everyone will be so happy to see you!"

"Alright," Xaira said. "Let's go home."


	24. Graduation

_**Sorry this took so long! I just had to decide how I wanted this to go!**_

* * *

Months passed since Xaira's return. Everything felt normal again although the world was still feeling the effects of Temporal Tower's near collapse. However, the guild's apprentices worked as hard as ever.

"What?! Graduation?!" Riolu exclaimed one morning after Chatot's announcement.

"That's right!" Chatot replied with a nod. "If you graduate, you get to leave the guild! You'll be rid of the harsh daily training program too! Of course, that all depends on your passing the graduation exam."

"Hey hey!" Corphish spoke up. "We've been around a lot longer than those two. Why do Xaira and Riolu get to take the graduation exam before we do?"

"They've already proved themselves," Chatot replied. " After all, they saved the world. It's only natural that they earned the right to be tested."

"Loudred took the graduation exam last year," Sunflora said.

"And promptly failed," Corphish added with a laugh.

"Get LOST!" Loudred snapped.

"So what do we have to do?" Riolu asked.

"I want you to explore the depths of a wood named Mystifying Forest," Wigglytuff said. "You should find a place called Luminous Spring there."

"Luminous Spring?" Riolu asked.

"Yep," Wigglytuff replied. "It's where Pokémon traditionally went to evolve. But maybe because of the time troubles we had, no sunlight shines on the spring. Now nothing can evolve there."

"We want you to travel to Luminous Spring and return with its treasure," Chatot said. "If you can do that, you pass the exam."

"But you must watch out for one thing," Wigglytuff warned. "The grandmaster of all things bad lives there."

Xaira snorted. "The grand master of all things bad?" Wigglytuff nodded.

" The grandmaster is a terribly wicked, terrifying presence that no one would ever hope to meet." A sudden grin formed on his face. "So good luck with that!"

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed.

"That will do for the morning briefing!" Chatot declared. "Let's get down to business!" The apprentices went off to perform their duties. Xaira and Riolu remained.

"What do we do?!" Riolu exclaimed. "The grandmaster of all things bad will be there!"

"Riolu," Xaira said. "With all that we have been through, someone with a name as ridiculous as the 'grand master of all things bad' should not be a problem."

"But still," Riolu said. Loudred walked by. "Hey, Loudred!" Riolu caught up to him.

"What is it?" Loudred asked.

"You took the graduation exam last year, didn't you?" Riolu asked. "Did you meet the grand master of all things bad? If so, what was this grand master like?" Loudred shook his head.

"Sorry," he said, "but I'm NOT allowed to talk about it. Guild rules." He suddenly looked serious. "But I can tell you this. You're in for a dreadful, terrifying time. What I went through, even when I let myself remember it, I-" He abruptly stopped talking before shuddering and running off screaming.

"Well that happened," Xaira said.

"Loudred didn't tell us anything useful," Riolu said with a sigh. "I guess we have to find out for ourselves. Let's go to Treasure Town." The duo set out for Treasure Town. As they walked, they planned what they would take with them on the exam.

"Oh! Riolu and Xaira! Hi!" Teddiursa greeted as they entered the town. Ursaring nodded in acknowledgement. The duo stopped walking to greet the Pokemon.

"Hello," Riolu said. "What's going on? Are you going somewhere?"

"Yup," Teddiursa nodded. "We're going off to Mystifying Forest now."

"Isn't it dangerous there?" Riolu asked. "That's where the grand master of all things bad is supposed to be!" Ursaring and Teddiursa exchanged confused glances.

"What are you talking about?" Ursaring asked. "I've never heard of something like that. Are you sure you're not making a mistake?" Teddiursa nodded.

"We go to the Mystifying Forest often," he said. "We've never seen or heard of a grand master."

"You must have heard a bad rumor," Ursaring said with a shrug. "We have to go. Bye." With that, they walked off.

"If you ask me," Xaira spoke up. "Wigglytuff has probably just eaten one too many Perfect Apples." They finished their shopping and went on their way to Mystifying Forest. As they walked, Riolu chattered worriedly about what they might have to face. He came up with many bizarre things that the grand master could be. Xaira listened, only commenting on the more ridiculous ideas.

"So you're not worried?" Riolu asked.

"As a matter of fact, I'm not," Xaira replied. "I told you before. We have probably seen worse things than this grand master."

"I guess," Riolu said. Eventually, they reached the edge of the forest.

"This is Mystifying Forest," Riolu said.

"Let's get this over with." Xaira said. The forest was dim, so it was hard to see where they were going. The Pokémon there were not as hostile as they were before time was properly restored, but they did get into a few scrapes.

"We've come pretty far," Riolu said once they reached a more well-lit part of the forest. "I wonder how much longer we'll have to walk." Xaira looked up ahead and noticed two familiar Pokémon.

"It's Teddiursa and Ursaring," she said. Riolu rushed forward to greet them.

" You're here too!" he exclaimed. Ursaring nodded.

"So how's it going?" he asked. Did you find your grand master of all things bad?" Riolu shook his head.

"No," he replied.

"See?" Ursaring said. "I told you it was only a rumor."

"Why are you here, anyway?" Teddiursa asked. "Were you looking for that grand master?"

"No," Riolu said. "We're looking for Luminous Spring."

"That's just up ahead," Teddiursa said. "We were on our way there ourselves. You can follow us if you'd like. It's just this way." The two began to walk away.

"Come on, Xaira!" Riolu said. "Let's go after them." Riolu and Xaira began to follow them, but when they took a few steps forward, the ground gave out beneath them. They fell several feet before hitting the ground.

"What happened?" Riolu groaned as he stood up.

"What do you think?" Xaira asked. "We fell through a pitfall trap! Come on, let's see if we can climb out. Before they could do anything, the dim light that enabled them to see was gone.

"I can't see a thing!" Riolu exclaimed. A menacing laugh echoes through the area.

"Someone's here!" Xaira said. "Stay close!"

"Who are you?!" Riolu asked.

"Welcome to the world of darkness," the oddly familiar voice said. "I am the grand master of all things bad." Xaira let out a short laugh.

"Not only the grand master," another voice spoke up, "but more of us besides."

"A BUNCH of us minions of the grand master are here!" another added.

"You can't see us in the dark, but you're completely surrounded," one more said. Xaira snickered.

"It's very hard to take you seriously right now," she said. "Now show yourself and fight."

"Coming to our lair is the last mistake you will ever make," the grandmaster said. "You're not walking out of here alive. Prepare to-" Suddenly, the dim light returned, and it was just enough to identify the grand master and his minions.

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "Wigglytuff?!" The large, pink Pokémon only blinked. The minions, who were the guild apprentices, stood there awkwardly.

"Well everything suddenly makes sense," Xaira stated.

"Hey! Bidoof!" Chatot shouted. " Why did you take the cover off?" The small, brown Pokémon looked down at them.

"I thought it would be too dark down there for you all, so I opened it up," Bidoof said. "This helping out with the graduation exam is so new to me. Did I do something I shouldn't have?" Chatot grumbled under his breath.

"Wigglytuff?" Riolu said. "Can you please tell us what's going on?"

"Who's Wigglytuff?" Wigglytuff asked. "I am the grand master of all things bad! I know nothing of your so-called Wigglytuff!"

"That's right!" Chatot said. " And we are the grand master's minions!"

"Oh my gosh!" Sunflora exclaimed. "That is so right! I don't know any Pokémon named Sunflora!" Xaira brought a paw to her face.

"Seriously?" Xaira asked. "It's over. We know who you are. Now let us go get that treasure so that we can graduate."

"Prepare to face the terror that is the grand master of all things bad!" Wigglytuff exclaimed. The guild members all rushed in to attack. Xaira took the opportunity to get away from them and run to a nearby wall. Riolu swiftly used Force Palm on Wigglytuff and ran to Xaira.

"There's so many of them!" Riolu said. Xaira shrugged.

"Just do what we do when we're ambushed by multiple Pokémon!" Xaira said.

"But there's no narrow passages to lead them into!" Riolu argued.

"Not that exactly!" Xaira said. "Focus on one at a time and dodge and switch targets as necessary!"

"Are you sure that will work?" Riolu asked. Suddenly, Xaira had an idea.

"Riolu, how many Totter Seeds do we have?" she asked.

"A few," Riolu said as he dodged an attack from Chatot. "Do you really think that will work?"

"It will definitely make things easier," She said as she hit Croagunk with a Shadow Ball.

"Alright!" Riolu said, tossing the Totter Seeds. After that, with some of the apprentices attacking each other, the fight was much easier. Eventually, Wigglytuff and the others scampered out of the hole and ran from the forest.

"What was that all about?" Riolu asked as soon as he and Xaira climbed out of the pitfall. Xaira shrugged, "Well, I guess we're done here. Let's head to Luminous Spring." They soon caught up with Ursaring and Teddiursa who were staring at a small box on the ground.

"Oh! It's you!" Teddiursa said.

"What happened?" Ursaring asked. "I thought you were right behind us." Riolu hesitated before answering.

"Something held us up," he said. "Anyway, what's going on?"

"As you can see," Ursaring said, turning back to the box, "there's a treasure box here."

"There wasn't one here before," Teddiursa added. "I want to open it, but I'm also getting a creepy feeling from it."

"It would be nasty if it were a trap or something," Ursaring said, still staring at it.

"We'll open it," Riolu said. " We're here for the guild's graduation exam. We're supposed to bring back treasure."

"In that case, go right ahead," Ursaring said. "This treasure box may have something to do with your graduation."

"It could still be a trap," Xaira spoke up, stepping forward. "However, if I can activate the Dimensional Scream, we may have a better idea if this treasure box is safe or not." She stepped forward and placed her paw on the box. After a few moments, Xaira felt a familiar dizzy feeling.

 _It was dark and quiet. A lone Pokémon walked through the forest. He stopped, glancing around to make sure no one had seen him. Quickly, he placed a small box on the ground and covered it with leaves. As soon as his work was done, he ran off._

"Wigglytuff put this here," Xaira said as soon as the vision faded. She opened the treasure box and stared at its contents. She shook her head the moment she saw what it was. Riolu stepped forward and pulled the small treasure from the box.

"The treasure of Luminous Spring was a Perfect Apple," Riolu said, as he stared at the red fruit.

"Of course it is," Xaira sighed. "It suits Wigglytuff, I guess." Suddenly a bright light lit up the area.

"What is that?" Riolu asked. The Pokémon rushed forward to see a beam of light shining don on a crystal clear spring.

"Did Luminous Spring regain its power?" Teddiursa asked.

"Those who seek awaking," a voice sounded. "The resumption of time has brought light here again. Those who seek to evolve step forward."

"I knew it!" Teddiursa cheered, jumping up and down. "I knew Luminous Spring could be awakened again!"

"Good for you, Teddiursa!" Ursaring smiled. "You've been looking forward to evolution for a long time!" Teddiursa nodded and ran into the water.

"Do you seek to evolve?" The voice asked,

"Yup!" Teddiursa answered. "Please!"

"So be it," the voice said. "Seeker of awakening, let us begin." The light surrounding the spring grew brighter. Teddiursa began to glow as well. Eventually, Teddiursa was completely enveloped in the blue light. The light grew too bright to look at for a moment before it disappeared. An Ursaring stepped forward.

"Hey Ursaring! I've evolved!" the new Ursaring said, rushing forward.

"Congratulations!" Ursaring said. "Let's go to Treasure Town and tell everyone. They'll be happy to hear that Luminous Spring's power has been restored. The two Ursaring walked away.

"I want to evolve too!" Riolu cheered, rushing into the water. "Excuse me! I wish to be evolved as well!" There was silence for a moment.

"No," the voice said. " Impossible. You may not evolve."

"What?!" Riolu exclaimed. "Why?! Have I not met the requirements yet?"

"No," the voice said. "That is not it. The problem is not as simple as that. It may be influenced by a distortion in the fabric of space. Why that should be, I do not know. But your presence is somehow related to the distortion of space itself. As a result, you cannot evolve."

"But-" Riolu began.

"But it is not only you," the voice spoke again. "The one who is with you is also forbidden evolution."

"Figures," Xaira stated. Riolu sighed and stepped out of the spring.

"That's disappointing," he said. "Anyway, we have the Perfect Apple that was in the treasure box. Let's head back." Riolu and Xaira returned to the guild and gave the Perfect Apple to Wigglytuff.

"You've passed the exam!" Wigglytuff cheered. "Congratulations!" The apprentices cheered. Xaira and Riolu just stood there. "Oh, you're not celebrating. Aren't you happy?"

"I'm happy," Riolu said, "but it hasn't really registered. I don't think we've accomplished anything that special."

"That's not true at all!" Wigglytuff insisted. "Don't you understand that what you did was incredible? You went ant and brought back a fantastic treasure in a Perfect Apple. But even better than that, you defeated the horrifying grand master of all things bad!"

"How could you possibly know that?" Riolu asked. Wigglytuff shifted a bit.

"We heard it somewhere?" he said slowly.

"Wasn't that grand master you?" Riolu asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Wigglytuff insisted. Xaira shook her head at the obvious lie. Chatot flapped his wings.

"I know nothing!" he said. "The grand master's minions? What are they?" The apprentices began to speak up saying how they definitely had no idea who the minions could be.

"What's going on?" Riolu asked.

"Anyway!" Chatot said. "You two have now officially graduated from the guild! From now on, you will no longer be bound by our rules!"

"Nice!" Riolu cheered. "We get to keep all the reward money now!"

"Unfortunately for you, that aspect doesn't change at all," Chatot said.

"What?!" Xaira exclaimed.

"Why?" Riolu asked.

"You are still affiliated with the guild," Chatot answered. "Also, you can only operate because of us. So you still need to share your reward with the guild."

"What a con," Xaira muttered.

"Anyway, you passed with flying colors!" Wigglytuff said. "Be proud! I hope you'll keep up your great work as explorers!" They had a very special dinner that evening. And in the morning, the entire guild saw Riolu and Xaira off. The duo travelled to Sharpedo Buff where they had stayed briefly when they had come back from the future. Nothing about the place had changed since then. Xaira stared and the pile of hay where Grovyle had slept.

"Since we can't use our old guild room anymore," Riolu said, breaking Xaira out of her thoughts, "let's live here from now on. This is now Team Vatonage's new exploration base!"

"Alright," Xaira said as she stepped to the 'Sharpedo's' mouth.

"Is something bothering you?" Riolu asked.

"It's nothing," Xaira said. "What do you make of what that voice at Luminous Spring told us?" Riolu shrugged.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But we can't worry about that too much now. We have to go do some jobs so that we have the funds for explorations! Also, meals are no loner fre, so we need to get food money as well." Xaira nodded.

"Alright," she said. "Let's go pick some out."

"Come on!" Riolu said as he rushed out. "Since we're no longer apprentices, I bet we can get even better jobs now! Maybe someone has some treasure they want us to locate."

"You know," Xaira said as she caught up to him. "As much as I hate playing errand girl, I may be up for that."

"Really?" Riolu asked.

"Sure," Xaira said. "As long as I don't have to go on an escort mission or have to locate an item that can easily be bought at the store, I'm okay with whatever job that comes our way."

"That's kind of the spirit," Riolu laughed.

They spent the rest of the day doing jobs. When they got home that night, they were too exhausted to eat dinner.

….

Far away, a lone Pokémon stared at the sky, looking fairly concerned.

"Something is wrong."


	25. Sky Peak

For Some reason, I had a really hard time with this one.

* * *

The next few days were uneventful. Riolu spent his free time among the residents of treasure town socializing. Xaira spent most of her mornings and evenings in Spinda's Café, ordering various drinks and gathering information from other explorers. Some days, she would stay so long that Riolu would have to drag her out of the café.

"Come on Xaira," Riolu said one morning, "We have work to do."

"In a moment," Xaira said as she sipped her drink made from a White Gummi. "I might get one more after this.

"But this is your fifth one!" Riolu argued.

"So?" Xaira said. "It's free! What's on our schedule today, anyway?"

"I was thinking we could go to one of those places you found the directions to at the bottom of your drinks," Riolu said. "I still wonder how they got there." Before Xaira could respond, Spinda walked to the center of the room.

"I've got some happy news for everyone today!" he announced. "Has anyone here ever heard of a mountain called Sky Peak?" Whispers filled the room. "Sky Peak has not been fully explored, so it still holds many mysteries and according to legend a great treasure rests there. And thanks to Project P, a path to the mountain has been cleared!" The Pokémon in the café cheered. "Furthermore," Spinda continued, "at the base of the mountain, we found a small village with a path that leads up the mountain nearby! It's called Shaymin Village, and the residents have offered to guide us up the mountain! I invite you all to check it out!"

"What do you think?" Riolu asked. "Do you want to check out Sky Peak?"

"Sure," Xaira said with a shrug.

After ours of travelling, the duo reached a small green area covered in flowers. Small homes made out of plants and branches were scattered throughout the area.

"So this is the Shaymin Village?" Riolu said, looking around. " It's pretty peaceful." A small green and white Pokémon approached the duo.

"Welcome to Shaymin Village!" she greeted. "It's nice to meet you. My name is Shaymin. Then again, all the residents of this village are Shaymin. It's kind of hard to tell us apart."

"Nice to meet you!" Riolu grinned. "I'm Riolu and this is my friend, Xaira."

"Did you come to climb Sky Peak?" Shaymin asked.

"Yep!" Riolu nodded. "I take it you know the mountain well?"

"That's right," Shaymin answered. "We've lived here for a very long time. We're here to guide travelers up the mountain, but we haven't done that since the earthquake hit and blocked the path."

"Is it true that there's an incredible treasure here?" Riolu asked. Shaymin laughed.

"What do you think?" she asked. "Anyway, our job is not simply limited to being guides, but in the end, those climbing the mountain must discover some things for themselves. We are merely assigned to assist in those discoveries. If you are in need of a guide. I would be more than happy to help!"

"That would be great!" Riolu said. "Thank you!"

"Alright then!" Shaymin said with a smile. So the trio of Pokémon began to climb the mountain. After quite a bit of climbing through a very green area of the mountain, the group of Pokémon stopped at a place where several other exploration teams were gathered.

"This is the first station clearing," Shaymin said. "There are nine in all before you reach the summit. Rest here for a moment before continuing up the mountain."

Riolu, Xaira, and Shaymin continued their climb up the mountain after a short rest. Along the way, they met am exploration team called Team Frontier, whose members consisted of a Mawile, Breeloom, and Machoke who were setting up facilities that explorers could use at every other station clearing.

Eventually, the trio reached the fourth station clearing, meeting up with Team Frontier again. They were in the middle of a conversation when there was a cry for hel.

"Help!" an Octillery shouted rushing to the two exploration teams.

"What's wrong?" Mawile asked.

"The explorer Sneasel's getting picked on by this strange group near the fifth station clearing!" Octillery explained, out of breath. "I tried to help, but they were too strong!" The members of Team Frontier exchanged glances, nodding.

"Move out!" Machoke ordered.

"Roger! Let's go!" Breeloom said.

"We should hurry too!" Shaymin said as Team Frontier walked off. "I think I have a good idea of who's attacking." The Pokémon scaled the mountain as quickly as possible. Eventually, they reached Sneasel who was surrounded by a group of Carnivine. Team Frontier was already there.

"Are you alright?" Mawile asked, rushing forward. " We came to help!"

"You came to help?" one of the Carnivine asked. "What do you think you're doing?"

"We're Team Frontier!" Mawile declared. "Only cowards would gang up on one Pokémon! This time we're you're opponents." The Carnivine exchanged glances.

"Sounds good," one of them spoke up. Just as the two were about to clash, Shaymin ran between them.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" she exclaimed. "Everyone wait a second!" The Carnivine starred at the little Pokémon before grinning.

"Oh! A Shaymin from the village!" he said. "It's been a while!"

"You haven't changed a bit, Carnivine!" Shaymin said. "We've asked you before to stop bothering the explorers, haven't we?!"

"Sneasel started it!" Carnivine said. "We found some treasure earlier, and he snatched it right from under our noses!"

"And you didn't think to bring that up earlier?" Xaira spoke up. The Carnivine said nothing, but turned to where Sneasel was. The Pokémon was nowhere to be found.

"Where'd he go?" one Carnivine asked.

"He ran off in the confusion!" another exclaimed.

"I apologize for reacting too quickly," Mawile said. "We thought you were the bad guys."

"Well, you can't exactly say that they're the good guys either," Shaymin sighed, shaking her head.

"Hey!" the lead Carnivine exclaimed. "We haven't seen you in so long, and this is how you treat us?!" He stared at Shaymin for a moment, shaking his head. "But since it's you, it's fine. You guys can climb the mountain if you want. See ya!" With that, the Carnivine went off to some other part of the mountain. Team Frontier followed after them.

"Sorry about the trouble," Shaymin said. "The Carnivine have marked this as their territory. They're really nice, but they can be a little rough when they speak."

"We understand," Riolu said. "Let's keep climbing!" As they climbed higher, the mountain grew colder, and the ground became rockier. Eventually, they reached the seventh station clearing where thy saw Team Frontier gathered around an unconscious Sneasel. The trio rushed forward.

"What happened?!" Shaymin exclaimed.

"I don't know," Breeloom replied. "He had fainted before we got here.

"I'll go get help," Shaymin said.

"Who are you going to call to get help?" Mawile asked.

"There's a rescue expert at the eighth station clearing," Shaymin said. "Keep an eye on Sneasel. We're going ahead."

Xaira, Riolu, and Shaymin rushed up the cold mountain. Eventually, they reached a small tunnel.

"This way!" Shaymin said. When they walked in, they found that the tunnel was quite warm thanks to a small fire. A tall, yellow Pokémon sat near it. "Ampharos!" Shaymin called. The yellow Pokémon turned around.

"Shaymin!" he greeted. "It's nice to see you! It's been a long time!"

"We don't have time to chat," Shaymin said. "We're in a hurry!"

"Did something happen?" Ampharos asked.

"There's an unconscious Pokémon at the seventh station clearing!" Shaymin replied.

"And here I thought I was going to have my first guests in a long time," Ampharos sighed. "I'm on my way. Wait here."

After an hour or so had passed, Ampharos arrived with team Frontier and Sneasel. Carefully, Ampharos placed Sneasel on the straw bed in the corner of the room. After a few minutes, Sneasel began to stir. He opened his eyes.

"He's awake!" Shaymin announced.

"Where am I?" Sneasel mumbled.

"Eighth Station clearing," Shaymin answered. "You fainted and Ampharos carried you here."

"You did that for me?" Sneasel asked.

"It wasn't just me," Ampharos said. "Everyone here came to your rescue."

"I see," Sneasel muttered.

"It's alright," Shaymin said. "You don't have to say anything. Take it easy and rest."

"All of you may go on ahead," Ampharos said. "I can take care of him."

"Are you sure?" Riolu asked. Ampharos nodded.

"I'm sure," he said. "Now go, the summit awaits."

Shaymin, Riolu, and Xaira, along with Team Frontier, continued to climb the mountain together. As they climbed, Xaira got the strange feeling that something was wrong. When they emerged from the tunnel, all that could be seen was a thick, purple mist.

"This is terrible!" Shaymin exclaimed. "All this happened while I was away for so long."

"This is the Summit?!" Mawile asked. Suddenly, shadows of Pokemon began to approach the group. As they got closer, it could be seen that it was a group of Grimer and Muk.

"This isn't your home, you know that," Shaymin spoke up.

"No noooooo," a Grimer said.

"Liessssss," another hissed.

"We drive away cleanlinessssss!" a Muk declared.

"I don't think we have another choice," Xaira said. "We have to take them down!"

"I'm afraid you're right," Riolu said.

Xaira used Shadow Ball on an approaching Grimer while Team Frontier took on three others. Eventually, the battle was won.

 **"** Have you come to your senses?" Shaymin asked. "This isn't your home! This is the mountain summit!"

"What?!" A Grimer exclaimed.

"But it's so dirty and grimy!" A Muk said. Shaymin shook her head.

"It probably fell into disrepair because nobody visited for so long," she said. "We can't leave it like this, so can you please return to your rightful home? I'll visit with a token of thanks later!" With that, the Muk and Grimer went away. Shaymin glanced around the area.

"Alright guys, stand back," she said. Shaymin closed her eyes. All the dirt and grime began to move towards her. Suddenly, there was a blinding light. When Xaira and the others opened their eyes again, the mist was gone, revealing a beautiful green meadow.

"This is beautiful!" Mawile exclaimed rushing to get a view from on top of the mountain. "This must be the treasure!"

"Of course it is," Xaira said, shaking her head.

"So Shaymin," Riolu said. "How did you do that?"

"We Shaymin have the ability to clean up the land by absorbing dirt and other things," Shaymin replied. She turned to the others. "Shall we head back to the base of the mountain?"

"We didn't think of how to get down!" Breeloom exclaimed. Shaymin laughed.

"Calm down," she said. "I'll take you all back to the base of the mountain. It's not a problem!"

"How will you do that?" Mawile asked.

"With a special flower called the Gracidea," Shaymin replied. "I just have to touch it like this." She touched the small, pink flower and began to glow. When the light faded, Shaymin looked much different. She no longer looked like a shrub and was much taller

"Are you really that adorable little Shaymin?" Breeloom asked. "You look a lot different!" Shaymin nodded.

"Not only that, I can fly now!" she said. "I'll carry you down the mountain!" Before anyone could reply, one by one, Shaymin flew the other Pokémon down the mountain.

"You know something," Shaymin, now back in her original form, said as Riolu and Xaira were about to leave the village. "That was fun!"

"It sure was," Riolu replied.

"Hey," Shaymin said. "I know it's probably a lot to ask, but may I join your exploration team."

"Sure!" Riolu said. "Right, Xaira." Xaira shrugged.

"I don't have a problem with it," she said. The three Pokémon headed back to Treasure Town together.

That evening Xaira, Riolu, and all the other Pokémon involved with the Sky Peak Expedition gathered at Spinda's Café for a party to celebrate the success. It lasted until dawn.

"When we get home," Xaira said as she and Riolu walked back to Sharpedo Bluff, "I'm going right to sleep." Riolu chuckled.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked. Xaira nodded. "Exploring is fun, right." Xaira yawned.

"Sure," she said. "Now let's get back before I decide to sleep right here."


	26. Scizor the Explorer

**_Sorry this took so long! My computer messed up. I hope this was worth the wait!_**

"So," Riolu said one morning as he and Xaira walked to the crossroads. "Where do you want to go today?" Xaira shrugged.

"I was thinking that we could travel to a different town to gather information," she said.

"That may be a good idea."

"Riolu! Xaira!" the duo stopped walking and watched as they were approached by Mr. Mime. "How have you two been?"

"We've been doing well," Riolu answered.

"That's good to hear!" Mr. Mime replied. "What are you two up to today?"

"We were just trying to think of where we should go exploring," Riolu said.

I think I can help with that," Mr. Mime replied. "Have you heard of Scizor the explorer?"

"The name sounds familiar," Riolu said, crossing his arms. "Why do you ask?"  
"A long time ago," Mr. Mime began, "Scizor was famous for being one of the best explores in the world. One day, he went to explore Blizzard Island, which was said to hide an amazing treasure. He was never seen again. Many went to rescue him, but few made it back. Eventually, no rescue team dared to go to the island and find him."

"Really?" Riolu asked. Mr. Mime nodded.

"Blizzard Island is far to the southeast. Perhaps you two will be able to find something. With what you have accomplished, it wouldn't surprise me at all." After thanking Mr. Mime and telling the other team members where they were going just in case something happened, the duo went to the beach to speak to Lapras.

"Blizzard Island?" Lapras questioned once Riolu finished explaining the situation to her. "That place is very dangerous. True to it's name, the icy winds there hardly ever stop. Are you quite sure that you want to go?"

"Of course!" Riolu replied. "I want to find out what happened to Scizor!" Lapras nodded.

"Very well," she said. "We will set out immediately." After hours of crossing the ocean, the trio of Pokémon finaly arrived at the island. Riolu shivered as soon as his feet touched the frozen ground.

"Thank you, Lapras," he said.

"Several have gone missing searching for Scizor," Xaira said. "If we are not back here in two days-"

"I shall go get help," Lapras said. Xaira nodded.

"Exactly," she said. "Thank you."

Riolu and Xaira made their way across the island. It was a rather difficult journey. The harsh winds combined with the falling snow made it difficult to see. That wasn't the only danger there. The duo was often ambushed by the Pokémon living there. Luckily, they did not receive any major injuries from the battles.

"To think that Scizor came to a place like this to find treasure," Riolu said, his teeth chattering. Xaira shivered. The cold seemed to become more unbearable the more they walked.

"It better be worth it," Xaira said. "If this treasure is another pretty view, I might snap the first thing I see in half."

"Good luck with that," Riolu said, laughing weakly. "There isn't much to see here." Xaira looked at the darkening sky.

"We need to find shelter," she said. "And quick." Riolu nodded and shuddered.

"But where do you think we can find that?" he asked. Xaira glanced around. She could barely see anything in this blizzard. Suddenly, she heard a thud next to her.

"Riolu!" she cried, attempting to help her friend up.

"I'm fine," Riolu said. He sneezed. Xaira frantically looked around once more, but could see nothing. She grumbled in frustration.

"We can't just stay here!" she said. "We need to keep moving!"

"Xaira!" Riolu said. "Look! I found this buried in the snow!" Riolu held up an explorer's badge. It looked a tad different from the ones Xaira and Riolu had. It was no longer shiny, and the usual stone in the center seemed to have fallen out.

"That means that either Scizor or another explorer went this way." Xaira said. "We're on the right track. Let's go." Riolu nodded and stood.

"Which way do we go?" he asked. Xaira thought for a moment.

"Let me see the badge again," she said. Riolu nodded and held it out to her. Xaira reached out and touched the badge. She waited a few moments. Nothing. "Are you kidding me?!" she exclaimed.

"It's fine," Riolu said. "We know we're close. We just have to keep walking in the same direction." Xaira nodded and took a step forward. A sudden dizzy spell hit her.

 _A tall red Pokémon with claws for hands made his way through the snow. He glanced around. No one could be seen nearby. He walked a bit further. Suddenly, some Ice types jumped out at him, causing him to fall to the ground. He swiftly stood and began to run. Eventually, he made it to a small cave and ducked inside._

"There's a cave nearby," Xaira said once the vision faded.

"Really?" Riolu asked. Xaira nodded, looking straight ahead. "We just need to walk a little further." The duo trudged through the snow for a few more minutes. Eventually, they came across a giant wall made of ice. In that was was a large opening. Riolu and Xaira rushed inside.

"This isn't much better than outside," Riolu said.

"But we no longer have that snow blinding us," Xaira said.

"Do you think that Scizor went here?" Riolu asked, glancing around the cave. It was almost too dark to see much.

The cave was eerily quiet as the two wandered through it. Not a single Pokémon was to be found. Eventually, the duo reached a large, open room. Riolu approached the wall on the far side, but jumped back, shaking. Xaira rushed forward to see what frightened him. There, encased in ice, was the same red Pokémon she saw in her vision.

"Do you think that could be Scizor?" Riolu asked.

"It has to be," Xaira replied. "Should we melt the ice? I know we have some Blast Seeds left." Before they could free Scizor, a high pitched laugh rung through the area. The room seemed to grow colder than before.

"Show yourself!" Xaira demanded, glancing around the room.

"It has been a while since I last had visitors," a voice echoed through the room. A graceful looking white Pokémon floated to the ground. She was smaller than Scizor, and looked as if she were wearing a mask of ice.

"I am Froslass," she said. "It must have been awfully exhausting for you to fight these swirling blizzards. Unfortunately, I will not allow you to leave this place."

"Release Scizor!" Xaira demanded. Froslass glared at her.

"I don't think so," she said, raising her arms and summoning a powerful blizzard. "I will freeze you to the bone!"

"What do we do, Xaira?" Riolu asked, shielding his eyes from the ice and snow.

"We fight!" Xaira said, charging at Froslass.

Quickly, Xaira unleashed a Shadow Ball which knocked Froslass back a bit. Froslass recovered quickly and send shards of ice flying at Xaira, which she dodged. Riolu ran forward as well with a Blast Seed in his hand. He threw it at Froslass, causing significant damage. Angered, Froslass unleashed Ominous Wind and began to move faster than before. She rushed at Riolu, who was barely able to dodge her attack Riolu attempted to counterattack, but Froslass was too fast. Xaira tried to attack, but Froslass dodged again.

"What now?" Riolu shouted.

"What items do we have?" Xaira asked. Riolu thought for a moment before grinning. Quickly, he pulled a Stun Seed from the Treasure Bag. Xaira ran at Froslass once more. Froslass dodged her attack, but while she was distracted, Riolu threw the Stun Seed at her, causing her to fall to the ground. Xaira took the opportunity to use Dig, knocking Froslass unconscious.

The blizzard faded, and the ice encasing Scizor began to crack. It shattered and Scizor fell to the ground.

"Where am I?" Scizor mumbled as he woke up.

"It's kind of a long story," Riolu said as he helped the Pokémon to his feet.

"I remember that I had been exploring," Scizor said. "And then that Froslass attacked."

"You were stuck in that ice for a long time," Riolu said. "Take it easy." Scizor glanced at the two Pokémon.

"Forgive me for my lapse in etiquette," he said. "My name is Scizor. I'm an explorer. I am sincerely grateful that you came to my rescue."

"It isn't a problem," Riolu said. "We'll get you back to Treasure Town."

When the group stepped outside, they noticed that the blizzard was gone and that it was late at night. The stars were shining and ribbons of colorful light stretched across the sky.

"Wow," Xaira said.

"It's beautiful," Riolu commented.

"Indeed," Scizor replied. "However, I believe it best to get out of this place as soon as possible."

It was in the middle of the afternoon when they got back to Treasure Town.

"So much has changed since I was last here. I still can't believe that it has been decades," Scizor said as he observed the town. He turned to face Xaira and Riolu. "I would like to repay you for saving my life. However, I am alone in an alien world and without a single Poké to my name. As such, I am afraid that I don't have anything to offer you."

"That's fine," Riolu said. "You don't need to thank us any more."

"You are an exploration team, yes?" Scizor asked. Xaira and Riolu nodded. "In that case, I have an idea. I was once an explorer of some repute and an honorary member of the Pokémon Exploration Team Federation! As such, I have the right to give special status to exemplary exploration teams. And I have to say that you are far beyond exemplary. So, as a thank you, I will grant you the Secret Rank. From now on, you will be able to go on special missions!"

"Thank you!" Riolu said.

"You are quite welcome," Scizor replied. "I will go meet with the Federation now and inform them. Thank you once more." He began to walk away.

"Wait!" Riolu called.

"What is it?" Scizor asked.

"If you want, you can join our team!" Riolu said.

"Really?" Scizor asked.

"Of course!" Riolu replied. "When you get back, we can register you!" Scizor thought for a moment.

"Very well," he said. "I look forward to working with you both. Farewell for now." As Scizor left, Xaira began to walk away.  
"Where are you going?" Riolu asked.

"Spinda's," Xaira replied. "And maybe the Hot Spring later. I'll see you around dinner."


End file.
